The nearly 2,500 members of Parel’s Kamgar Krida Kendra swimming pool are a worried lot. Ever since the pool’s management allegedly facilitated a builder to come up with a 33-storey building next to the pool, officials of the Krida Kendra are worried that it will lead to the closure of the BMC’s only functional pool in the city.
The nearly 2,500 members of Parel’s Kamgar Krida Kendra swimming pool are a worried lot. Ever since the pool’s management allegedly facilitated a builder to come up with a 33-storey building next to the pool, officials of the Krida Kendra are worried that it will lead to the closure of the BMC’s only functional pool in the city.
It was only a fortnight ago that the compound wall of the Krida Kendra was demolished for road-widening in the area. In fact, they fear that the second phase of the widening process might end up swallowing a part of the swimming pool from its shallow water side. “The narrow gangway, which until recently did not even have a name, has now been widened drastically to create an official access to the road, as per the BMC’s requirement for the upcoming multi-storey building,” said a member of the pool.
“Of the six swimming pools that the BMC owns in the city, this is the only one in a good condition. It caters to the needs of the labour class as the rates are cheaper here as compared to private pools,” said advocate Satyaki Varma, who is representing the members in their fight against the management’s alleged high handedness. The members are moving court on March 21, after writing about the “injustice” to all the concerned authorities.
“Initially, in September last, the builder who is coming up with a 33-storey building on a plot adjacent to the pool was denied permission by BMC, as it had no access from any civic roads. However, the decision was overturned in six months, and now a new road has been created at the cost of Krida Kendra’s land. The road outside the actual pool is still narrow, which means second phase of the widening could take toll of the pool,” said a parent of ten-year-old student swimmer from Don Bosco.
Suhas Haldankar, a former union leader from the Krida Kendra, said the swimming pool land was on a 99-year lease from BMC to Labour Welfare Commissioner, which managed the Kendra.
Also, Krida Kendra officials said the playground on its land is hardly used for football or kabbadi, for which it was meant to be utilised. “In fact, most of the time it is used for hosting wedding and entertainment programmes,” said an office-bearer. Earlier, the management had also tried building a multi-storey building on the place of a spectator stand on the football ground, but the plan was shelved after a strong agitation by some activists, a few months ago,” he added.
However, rubbishing the Krida Kendra officials’ charges, Labour Welfare Commissioner Mohan Dhotre said not a single inch of the swimming pool will be allowed to be taken by the builder. “While granting permission for our seven-storey building in the compound, one of the conditions put by the BMC was reducing the compound wall. Now, the building is ready and we had to fulfill the condition for the Occupational Certificate. This is not to facilitate anybody (read builders) and we have no plans of shutting down the pool at all,” he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}