Save our open spaces

Even a casual look around the city will tell you why Mumbai known as a ‘concrete jungle’. The troubling part is that this jungle is only getting more concretised. The green cover, such as it is, is in danger of extinction and the authorities aren’t helping any with their policies.

Over the past three years, the state government and the BMC have changed the status of as many as 16 open plots reserved for playgrounds and parks in the city. The plots have been dereserved to permit a range of construction activities, including slum rehabilitation, highrises, municipal libraries and parking — all with official approval. Where there are open spaces, such as Shivaji Park, where the likes of Sachin Tendulkar have honed their cricketing skills, they are constantly encroached upon for other purposes.

The onslaught on open spaces is relentless. Recently, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who heads the urban development department, modified the reservation of the 2 lakh sq ft Nardulla Tank Maidan in Parel to allow the construction of an indoor stadium with underground parking, apparently to ease the traffic congestion at SiddhivinayakTemple. In Mahim, it appears that the BMC has changed the reservation of a 3,653 sq m municipal ground to accommodate a private primary school. Similarly, the Khedgalli municipal ground is mainly used for wedding receptions. Politicians or organizations controlled by them are actively involved in these rapacious activities. If this continues, all of Mumbai’s open spaces will before long be swallowed by the those with influence, leaving the citizenry with little more than swank buildings.

Cities all over the world are congested, but this is alleviated by green cover, parks, clean rivers and the like which act as their lungs. New York’s central park is an example. But we don’t even have to go that far. In Navi Mumbai, commercial areas make up about 55 per cent of the total land, while 45 per cent is, by decree, held for public use such as roads, parks, gardens and reserve forest area.

Here, not a day goes by without builders arguing for more land to be released, ostensibly to reduce real estate prices. And often, the neta-babu combine is quite ready to pay heed to their pleas. When did we last hear of a politician arguing for more gardens? Alert citizens can change that, because while Mumbai does need more living space, it should not be at the cost of our last few remaining open spaces.