MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said that his party was confident of forming the govt soon and once it comes to power, they will reverse the ‘brazen land grab’ decision of the Shinde-Fadnavis govt to convert the Mahalaxmi racecourse into a theme park. The BJP has asked CM Eknath Shinde to direct the BMC to organise a global open ideas competition to invite plans and themes for the Central Park.In a letter to CM Shinde, former BJP Corporator Makrand Narwekar said the govt must not allow contractors to decide the fate of Mumbai’s biggest open space, and demanded transparency and citizen involvement in the Central Park project. Makrand’s demand gains significance as his brother, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar is eyeing the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat from the BJP from South Mumbai under which the Mahalaxmi Racecourse falls.
Narwekar has also written to BMC chief IS Chahal demanding that a global open ideas competition must be organised, citizens should be involved in the process and that complete transparency should be maintained throughout the planning and execution period. “The contractors shouldn’t be allowed to decide the fate of Mumbai’s biggest open space. The government, through BMC, must organise a global open ideas competition to generate unique ideas to match the parks to international standards. A window of at least 90 days shall be kept open for receiving suggestions for themes and plans,” Makarand said Makarand said that a high-powered jury must be formed to examine all entries. “This jury must have members from the public, renowned town planners, architects, state govt and central govt officers, heritage experts, and international city planners. This high-powered jury should examine all ideas and shortlist the top 10 ideas,” Makarand said. Makarand added that all the top shortlisted ideas must be made public and displayed in the public domain, and only then should they be finalised.
Aaditya alleged that after the racecourse, ‘the builder friend of the illegal CM will target the Willingdon Club, Cricket Club of India (CCI) and more open spaces.
“No clarity on the proposed rehabilitation of the informal homes/ settlement in one corner of the racecourse. My knowledge of the Shinde regime says, they will want to bring in their favourite builder for an SRA scheme on the racecourse. Why should Mumbaikars pay up ₹100 crores for the rebuilding of private horse stables? Each horse owner/ RWITC can afford to pay it. Why do we need an underground car park at the racecourse, when we have made provisions for an underground car park at the coastal road. Most funnily, the BJP sponsored regime is showing the 96 hectares of green open space that we have provisioned on the coastal road, as connected to this. Thank god they haven’t shown the Arabian Sea as the water body to their theme park,” Aaditya said in his post.
Makarand said that if the Central Park is really for Mumbaikars, then citizens, not the contractors, need to be engaged in determining its theme.
Narwekar has also written to BMC chief IS Chahal demanding that a global open ideas competition must be organised, citizens should be involved in the process and that complete transparency should be maintained throughout the planning and execution period. “The contractors shouldn’t be allowed to decide the fate of Mumbai’s biggest open space. The government, through BMC, must organise a global open ideas competition to generate unique ideas to match the parks to international standards. A window of at least 90 days shall be kept open for receiving suggestions for themes and plans,” Makarand said Makarand said that a high-powered jury must be formed to examine all entries. “This jury must have members from the public, renowned town planners, architects, state govt and central govt officers, heritage experts, and international city planners. This high-powered jury should examine all ideas and shortlist the top 10 ideas,” Makarand said. Makarand added that all the top shortlisted ideas must be made public and displayed in the public domain, and only then should they be finalised.
Aaditya alleged that after the racecourse, ‘the builder friend of the illegal CM will target the Willingdon Club, Cricket Club of India (CCI) and more open spaces.
“No clarity on the proposed rehabilitation of the informal homes/ settlement in one corner of the racecourse. My knowledge of the Shinde regime says, they will want to bring in their favourite builder for an SRA scheme on the racecourse. Why should Mumbaikars pay up ₹100 crores for the rebuilding of private horse stables? Each horse owner/ RWITC can afford to pay it. Why do we need an underground car park at the racecourse, when we have made provisions for an underground car park at the coastal road. Most funnily, the BJP sponsored regime is showing the 96 hectares of green open space that we have provisioned on the coastal road, as connected to this. Thank god they haven’t shown the Arabian Sea as the water body to their theme park,” Aaditya said in his post.
Makarand said that if the Central Park is really for Mumbaikars, then citizens, not the contractors, need to be engaged in determining its theme.