Roll out open space policy in a month: Lodha to BMC
Mangal Prabhat Lodha, guardian minister for Mumbai Suburban, has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to finalize its draft open space policy within a month. The new policy limits the adoption period to 11 months, 3 years, or 5 years and allows private parties to acquire municipal plots by paying 50% of the land value. Lodha expressed his objection to the policy and called for a committee to ensure that adopted open spaces are not misused. The BMC has received around 100 suggestions and objections to the draft policy so far.
Mangal Prabhat Lodha, guardian minister for Mumbai Suburban, on Friday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to finalise within a month its draft open space policy, which has done away with the controversial caretaker policy and limited the adoption period to three durations - 11 months, 3 years, or 5 years.
The BJP leader, who discussed the suggestions and objections the civic body had received, with members of the public, NGOs and political parties, also said a five- or six-member committee should be set up to ensure that the adopted open spaces are not misused. The committee, which would comprise local residents, public representatives and BMC officials, should have a maximum tenure of two years and the members should not be reappointed, he said.
Under the new policy on gardens, playgrounds, and recreation grounds, private parties can also acquire municipal plots by paying 50% of the land value. Besides, the policy prioritises local school associations and advanced locality managements in adopting open spaces.
Lodha made it clear that he is against the policy. “As a public representative and guardian minister, I object to this policy, and I believe that it is the constitutional responsibility of BMC to develop and take care of its open spaces. I do not think there is a need to give it up for adoption.”
Acting on suggestions from citizens, Lodha asked BMC to publish the criteria for appointing new agencies/organisations on its website and said priority should be given to government and semi-government organisations.
At the same time, BMC should create a mechanism to take the existing open spaces back from caretakers without inviting litigations or work a way around it to ensure that development of these open spaces is not stuck, he pointed out.
Objecting to the policy, representatives from NAGAR NGO said the civic body has sufficient funds to develop its own open spaces. Members from Urban Design Research Institute said BMC should add all its open spaces on DP Remarks 2034 in the meta data besides just publishing the list so that it is available to the public.
Former corporators and public representatives also raised objections. Yogesh Parulekar from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena said BMC needs to develop its sports infrastructure and if need be, development of open spaces be given to registered and reputed sports organistaions.
Former corporators from Congress, Sheetal Mhatre, Ashraf Azmi and others staged a walkout after alleging that their suggestions were not heard.
Mhatre questioned BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal’s absence at the meeting, alleging that the civic body is now being run by the guardian minister. “Lodha is just a guardian minister. So, I do not understand why he is holding meetings on BMC policies. Where is the commissioner? Who is the guardian of the civic body?”
Responding to the allegations, Lodha said he was trying to break the logjam. “I am a public representative, and it is my right to hear the people out. Everyone was given a chance to speak twice or thrice, but their objective was to create a ruckus.”
The civic body said it has received around 100 suggestions and objections to its draft policy so far.
“The issue of caretaker and adoption of open spaces has been there for more than 25 years. There have been times when the government has stopped and restarted it. We have learnt from the past policies to ensure it works this time,” Kishor Gandhi, deputy municipal commissioner of gardens, said.
Gandhi further said that unlike the previous policies, there is a strict criterion for adoption. “In previous policy, if an organisation or NGO came to BMC saying they wanted to be the caretaker, it was given to them after due procedure. This time BMC will decide which open space can be given up for adoption.”
Gandhi explained that in the new policy, a separate bank account will have to be opened by the organisation appointed by the civic body. “It will be like an escrow account where BMC can monitor donations and expenditures.”