Playground in Mumbai suburbs turns into parking lot

Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to revamp its gardens, a 3,500-sqm playground, Swatantraveer Savarkar, in Goregaon has been turned into

Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to revamp its gardens, a 3,500-sqm playground, Swatantraveer Savarkar, in Goregaon has been turned into a temporary parking lot for four-wheelers and autorickshaws.

The open plot is the only playground in the locality. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

The open plot is the only playground in the locality.

While residents complained the garden is blocked by parked vehicles, BMC said this was a temporary issue, as the narrow road leading to the slums in the vicinity has been occupied by a Ganpati pandal. Jay Bagade, 22, a sports enthusiast who lives in Raheja Ridgewood near the playground, said, “We shifted here six months ago. I have always seen at least a few cars or autos parked inside the playground. It’s also not maintained properly. During the monsoon, the situation worsens.”

Another resident, Kaiser Shaikh, 32, who lives in Bimbisar Nagar, said, “The place is not maintained properly. Parking is also an issue in that area, owing to multiple offices in the locality. Four-wheelers are parked inside and two-wheelers at the entrance.”

Responding to the complaints, councillor Sadhana Mane (Shiv Sena) said, “Parking vehicles on the narrow roads leading to the pandal will block the way further. So they have been parked inside with an understanding between the civic body and residents.”

A civic official from P South (Goregaon) ward said, “We will clear the playground of all parked vehicles by Monday, after Ganesh visarjan.”