No entry fee for open spaces: BMC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided that it will not charge entry fees from citizens to enter open spaces. This includes 1,068 gardens and playgrounds

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided that it will not charge entry fees from citizens to enter open spaces. This includes 1,068 gardens and playgrounds in the city. Ashustosh Salil, joint municipal commissioner, BMC, said, “We have drafted the policy and it will be made public soon. However, we are not going to charge an entry fee for the open spaces, considering that it is meant for everyone.”

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The decision comes a month after the civic body invited suggestions from the general public while drafting its policy on open spaces. On August 21, HT had reported that citizens were divided on whether or not there should be an entry fee for open spaces, with many saying that the fees should be used for maintenance of the property.

The BMC has received feedback from around 300 people, including suggestions for pet-friendly spaces, more facilities for physically-challenged people and extending the time of closure of the parks and gardens.

A BMC official said, “The policy on open spaces is drafted. Once the municipal commissioner, Praveen Pardeshi, approves it, the policy will be made public in coming days.”

Last month, BMC had announced that all the gardens in the city would remain open from 6am to 10pm. Additionally, it identified 23 gardens that would remain open for 24 hours on all days. Several citizens had complained that as many people reach home late, they are not able to use public spaces after work. In the past, several politicians have been charged high fees for entry to public parks that are otherwise free. Following this, the BMC in 2007 had stayed a controversial policy, under which it had sought to hand over open spaces to a private organisation for maintenance.