Mumbaikars will again raise their voices to fight for the city’s open spaces. After the state urban development department’s decision to allow the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to restart construction activity on a portion of the 42,000 sq m public recreation space at Mahavir Nagar in Kandivli, dissent voices are being heard from all quarters.
Citizen outfits and the Shiv Sena-BJP camp have objected to the Brihanmunmbai Municipal Corporations’s (BMC) plans of entering into a “caretaker” agreement with the MCA, which is headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, for the maintenance of the plot. While the BMC first allotted the plot to MCA in 2003, the caretaker agreement between the two parties has not been signed till date.
After a public outcry, the state had imposed a blanket stay on the caretaker policy (see box) on December 1, 2007. With the very principles of the policy questioned, the state even directed the BMC not to renew the status of the allotted plots. Following which, a stop work order was issued last year by the BMC to the MCA.
However, the state urban development department, recently ordered the BMC to withdraw the stop work order, arguing that the stay was not valid for allotments done before it came in force. Following this, the BMC’s estate department has issued a fresh NOC for construction work to restart on the plot. Preparations are also being undertaken to sign a caretaker agreement with the MCA.
Neera Punj, founder, Citispace, termed the move shameful and unjust. “How can a caretaker agreement be signed when the principles guiding the policy itself have been stayed,” said Punj. “We appeal to the authorities to not marginalise public open spaces further. Clubhouses can very well be built on other buildable reservations or private land.”
Citispace co-founder Nayana Kathpalia said following the stay, the BMC has stopped accepting applications from resident associations for renewal of allotments done on adoption basis. “How can they even think of caretaker agreements then?” questioned Kathpalia.
While Sena leader Sunil Prabhu accused the government of indulging in politics of “convenience”, BJP corporator Manoj Kotak, who is also the improvements committee chairman, questioned the reason for the “special concession” being given to the MCA. “Is it because of Pawar’s presence?” said Kotak.
