Phase II: BMC issues 24 notices for open spaces

In the second phase of its process to take back possession of over 225 open spaces that were given to private entities, the civic body has issued 24 notices, mostly for the open spaces in western suburbs.

In the second phase of its process to take back possession of over 225 open spaces that were given to private entities, the civic body has issued 24 notices, mostly for the open spaces in western suburbs.

MIG Club at Bandra, Mumbai. (HT FILE)

While no entities run by political heavyweights have been served handover notices even in the second phase, the civic officials said handover notices are served on the basis of availability of civic staff for maintaining the open spaces that will be handed over. The deadline to handover these plots to the civic body is February 10.

The fresh list of 24 plots to be taken over include 21,000 square meter open space maintained by Lake View Developers at Powai, another 12,800 square meter Sabina Chandrashekhar Recreation ground at Colaba, 15,000 square meters Maharshi Karve Park Recreation ground at Wadala adopted by Rotary club of Bombay and others. Ten notices each have been served to the private entities in western suburbs and the island city, whereas the remaining four have been issued in the eastern suburbs.

After the public outcry over the approval of open spaces policy by the civic general body, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had instructed the BMC to take back over 200 plots that were given to the private entities under the adoption policy and also instructed the civic chief to review the policy. One of the major hurdles for the civic body to maintain these open spaces is lack of staff.