BMC to float fresh tenders for road -widening with Gymkhana land

Bombay Gymkhana, a 141-year-old club in south Mumbai that hosted India’s first test match back in 1933, is at loggerheads with the Mumbai’s civic body that wants to take a part of its land to expand a busy road that leads to the CST rail terminus

Bombay Gymkhana, a 141-year-old club in south Mumbai that hosted India’s first test match back in 1933, is at loggerheads with the Mumbai’s civic body that wants to take a part of its land to expand a busy road that leads to the CST rail terminus.

The BMC has now decided to float fresh tenders for the second stretch of the road which will include around 300 metres of Bombay Gymkhana’s land (HT File Photo)

Hazrimal Somani Marg is used by lakhs of commuters daily, a major connector to the busiest station, CST.

As per the earlier plans of the civic body for widening the road, the stretch was only to be widened till Azad Maidan.

After receiving opposition from many corporators last week, the BMC has now decided to float fresh tenders for the second stretch of the road which will include around 300 metres of Bombay Gymkhana’s land.

In the revised plan, the BMC will dedicate all of the extra area for the walkway used by nearly 15 lakh pedestrians and not towards widening of the road.

The BMC will write to the collector and ask to hand over the land within the Bombay Gymkhana premises.

A team of elected representatives has also decided to visit the club premises for the purpose.

However, the tussle between BMC and Gymkhana doesn’t end there. The civic body also planned to introduce hawkers from Fashion Street to MG Road, alongside the club.