Mumbai: BJP MLA and the party’s Mumbai chief Ameet Satam, along with local residents, has opposed BMC’s plan to lease a 12-acre open space housing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex on Veera Desai Road in Andheri (W) for 10 years under the public-private-partnership (PPP) model to the Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal.According to BMC’s tender conditions, Kelavani Mandal will pay the BMC annual rent of around Rs 21 lakh, which will increase by 6% every year and share 50% of its revenue too. This is the first time BMC has leased an open space plot under a PPP model. Tenders were floated last year, and Kelavani Mandal was finalised in Feb 2026 under then municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani.Satam said the initiation of such a tender to “auction” and allot a reserved open space of BMC under the PPP model when the open spaces policy for the city has not been finalized yet is illegal, and any reserved open space cannot be allotted in this manner. He has demanded in his letter to BMC additional commissioner Avinash Dhakne that the tender be cancelled immediately. Dhakne did not respond to queries from TOI.BJP MLC Amrish Patel, president and trustee of Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal, said there are no irregularities in the lease of the plot and they participated in BMC’s tender in a transparent manner and all due process was followed. “We participated in BMC’s Request For Proposal (RFP) and are going to pay BMC the lease rent and share revenue. The plot will only be utilised for sports purposes and will be accessible for all residents and students at affordable rates fixed by BMC. We have 52,000 students in our schools and colleges. This sports facility will be used by students and there will be no construction. There is no irregularity. We have taken the plot on merit and by following the tender process. We have taken possession of the plot and only registration formalities are pending after approval of the standing committee,” Patel said.Officials said there was no auction but only a lease and the proposal will be sent to the civic improvements and standing committee for approval.Satam said in his letter, “There are many such private organizations, trusts existing in the city and such reserved open spaces can’t be allowed to be handed over or usurped by any in this manner. It is and should be our stand that all reserved open spaces should be maintained and taken care of by only BMC and not anyone else. Secondly, all reserved open spaces in the city are for utilization of one and all and under no circumstances should their use be restricted to any particular person, organization, or trust. Kindly act immediately and ensure it’s not allowed or handed over to anyone and kept in safe possession of the city for use by all.”He added, “The trust is not doing charity by giving education to poor children but is in the business of education charging hefty fees. There is no reason why public plots should be given away like this to such trusts.”
