Mayor horses around for dolphin park

A high court verdict in 2004 disallows any construction on the open space at the Mahalaxmi racecourse. Yet, the Shiv Sena in the municipal corporation is toying with the idea of constructing a recreational centre in the heart of the racecourse premises.

The party’s leader and Mumbai’s first citizen, mayor Shubha Raul, wants the city to utilise the centre of the 226-acre open space for setting up an underground dolphin park and a world class oceanarium. If this is not feasible, she would at least like the space to be developed on the lines of New York’s Central Park.

Raul has called a meeting of all the group leaders on January 7 to view a presentation made by a private firm on the dolphin park project and to discuss the issue. She claimed that “there is nothing wrong in exploring the possibility of setting up a ‘tourist delight’ at the racecourse”.

Raul was recently approached by a Chembur private firm, Ape and Super Ape Entertainment and Infotech (P) Ltd, with a blueprint for the dolphin park and oceanarium project.

The firm had previously approached the Turf Club management with the project two years ago. The proposal, however, did not meet a positive response as the committee members were wary of the court’s decision.

Pradeep Gohil, firm’s managing director, claimed that they had a tie-up with a reputed Australian firm that would help them set up the dolphin park. “We will require 26 acre space to set up the facility,” he said adding, “Setting up an aquarium would be simpler at the racecourse owing to its proximity to the water front at Haji Ali.”

However, civic officials claimed that they weren’t sure about the mayor’s idea and found it “vague”. Even as Raul is toying with the idea of making changes in the agreement with the Turf Club to allow construction while the club lease lasted till 2013, a senior civic official said it would not be in spirit of the agreement.

Officials also stated that if BMC were to go ahead with the project, it would weaken its case against the Turf Club. The municipal corporation, which owns the racecourse, recently served a termination notice to the club, quoting contractual violations. When contacted, municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak said he was not aware of any such proposal.

It is commonly known that Raul is against the Turf Club’s lease being extended. “It is an elitist facility,” she said. However Vivek Jain, committee member, Turf Club, claimed that racing was a leisure sport for masses and that the public enclosures were the ones that drew maximum attendance even today. “We have also set up a walking and a jogging track at the centre of the racecourse. There is a public garden as well. It is very popular with the people.”