Mumbai: Not just BMC’s 12-acre plot housing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Andheri (W), the Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal has recently been allotted two open spaces measuring close to four acres in all by Mhada in Juhu and D N Nagar. The allotment is for three years on a ‘caretaker and beautification’ basis.One of the plots is the Lokmanya Tilak Udyan in Juhu, currently maintained by BMC and used by local residents. While Mhada has issued an NOC to the Kelavani Mandal for ‘utilising’ this plot, the other plot, in D N Nagar, has been earmarked for an edutainment theme park but a part of it has been allotted to the Mandal.While tenders were issued for the Andheri (W) plot and it was leased, there were no tenders for the two plots given by Mhada.Mumbai BJP president and MLA Ameet Satam, who objected to the leasing of the Andheri (W) facility by BMC, has written to Mhada asking it to cancel the two “illegal” allotments.Satam said this kind of allotment will set a wrong precedent in the city, where use and utilization of reserved open spaces should be the right and privilege of all irrespective of one’s social or economic status and not restricted to a few.BJP MLC Amrish Patel, president and trustee of Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal, said there are no irregularities in the allotment of the plots and they were given by Mhada in a transparent manner and due process was followed. “We will utilise these plots for creating sports facilities for our students. There will be no construction, and the plots will only be used for sports purposes,” Patel said.Satam said in his letter to Mhada vice-president and chief executive officer Sanjeev Jaiswal and chief officer Milind Borkar, “Mhada has given NOC to Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal for utilization of Lokmanya Tilak Ground which is in a Mhada layout but in possession of BMC, which is completely illegal as Mhada has no such rights to give utilization (sic) of reserved open space of the city to one particular organization or trust. Any city’s reserved open space should be for utilization of the public at large. Kindly cancel your wrongful allotment of said plots to Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal and not cause any hindrance to the ongoing public project. I trust that you will take an informed decision in the interest of open spaces of the city.”Jaiswal and Borikar did not respond to queries from TOI.Satam further said in his letter, “The plot is commonly known as Mhada cement godown for making (an) edutainment theme park. While the work on this project is in progress, Mhada has allotted a part of the plot on which the transit camp was existing to Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal for making a sports facility. All reserved open spaces of the city are property of the public at large, and these should not be given to any private individual, trust or organization for its restricted use. The edutainment theme park is a public project from public funds and the part of land where the transit camp was existing is proposed to be an underground parking lot and an open ground and walking track for the entire public and not for restricted use.”Filmmaker Ashok Pandit, who is chairman of Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group, Juhu, said, “All these are govt lands and must be maintained by govt. In the past, all such plots given to private parties have been usurped and turned into private clubs and estates. Open spaces must not be given to private parties. Once the trust takes over, local residents won’t be given access, and the land will become a private open space used only by the trust’s schools and colleges. It is the duty of BMC and Mhada to maintain open spaces. These plots are being given away secretly without informing the public. The CM must intervene and stop this takeover of open spaces.”He added, “The BMC and Mhada are spending so much money on various projects, so there is no reason they can’t maintain open spaces.”
