Take back public plots from politicians, say irked citizens

There are still 52 plots in possession of private parties, some of them politicians who will have to reapply under the new adoption policy. An RG plot, Shyam Narayan Singh Thakur Manoranjan maidan, and a PG plot near Shyam Narayan school in Kandivali East are managed by a former Congress MLA who is now with the BJP

Mumbai: Last fortnight, the BMC formulated a new draft policy on the city’s reserved playgrounds (PGs) and recreation grounds (RGs), which are meant for public use but over the years have been given away by the civic body to private parties to run. Prompted by misdemeanours of these parties such as commercial exploitation of the spaces, denial of access to the general public and generally treating the spaces like a personal fiefdom, the civic body announced that it would take back the open spaces if the private players did not agree to follow the new draft adoption policy in toto.

Mumbai, India - Sept. 20, 2023: Swatantrya veer Savarkar Udyan behind M.K.School, Borivali West in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

One of the options in the new draft policy for private players who do not sign up is to return the plots to the BMC. The civic body will determine the capital value of the constructions and other amenities erected on the plots and pay the private parties 50 percent of the invested cost after depreciation. While deriving the current capital value, facilities created from the funds of the BMC, MLA Local Development Fund, MP Local Development Fund, District Planning Board or any other government system will not be considered.

Activist Reji Abraham is of the opinion that the BMC will not be able to afford the immense cost of taking back the plots. “In other words, the BMC is saying that the proxy of political element will again come into the picture by introducing this clause,” he said “This is a repeat of the old system. Come, take over and adopt the RG, PG. They have ₹400 crore budgetary provision for the maintenance of open spaces but no funds to take care of RGs and PGs.”

There are still 52 plots in possession of private parties, some of them politicians who will have to reapply under the new adoption policy. An RG plot, Shyam Narayan Singh Thakur Manoranjan maidan, and a PG plot near Shyam Narayan school in Kandivali East are managed by a former Congress MLA who is now with the BJP. A prominent BJP MP is managing a 12-acre PG plot, the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Kridangan in Kandivali West and a seven-acre garden plot Swatantra Veer Savarkar Udyan in Borivali West (both plots managed by Poisar gymkhana). The Matoshri Meenatai Thackeray maidan in Jogeshwari is being managed by a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA, and this plot recently courted controversy for irregularities, with the matter currently under litigation.

Abraham has been pursuing the issue of taking back open spaces controlled by politicians for a long time. “The time period for Poisar gymkhana and club house is over more than a decade ago,” he said. “There are agreement copies to that effect. What stops the BMC from taking them back?”

Former chief information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said that six years ago when Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister, he had ordered the plots in control of private parties to be taken back. “The point is that there were some 30-odd open spaces out of 52 which could not be taken back,” he said. “One will have to look at the agreements to determine if they can be taken back. But if they can, the BMC should wait no more.”

Gandhi said that the BMC was making the mistake of giving away public plots to private parties again. “The whole point is about giving authority to a third party over your lands for free,” he said. “When this concept was implemented in hospitals, private parties did not reserve beds for the poor as they were supposed to. Involving private players is a failed concept and there is no reason why it should be repeated again. When Mangal Prabhat Lodha called for suggestions and objections to the draft policy from citizens last week, the clear and overwhelming majority opinion was that RGs and PGs should not be given to third parties.”

Kishor Gandhi, deputy municipal commissioner (gardens) had justified the adoption policy, saying it was only for RGs and PGs and not parks and gardens, as the BMC was incapable of building sports academies on its own. “In the draft policy it is not clear that the third-party interest is only for a sports’ academy,” said Shailesh Gandhi. “Also, the BMC is capable of building sports academies with funds from corporates. All MLAs and MPs should side with citizens and support a policy which is in the citizens’ interest.”