July 29, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has officially scrapped its plan to convert a portion of the defunct cycling track opposite Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion into a pay-and-park facility, citing safety and legal concerns over the underground Tansa water pipeline. The pipeline, which supplies drinking water to large parts of Mumbai, runs directly beneath the proposed site.
While the BMC’s hydraulic engineering department had initially issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the pay-and-park scheme in June, its Survey Section has since raised objections. The department highlighted that any development above the pipeline would breach a Bombay High Court directive issued in connection with a 2006 petition. The court had mandated that a 10-metre buffer be maintained on either side of the pipeline, free from any encroachments—including parked vehicles.
An official from the department stated that the pipeline could not withstand additional pressure from vehicles. Previous encroachments had already been cleared to avoid structural risk, and the current objections were made with public safety in mind.
The Sion-to-Mulund cycling track, built in 2020 and spanning 39 kilometres, has reportedly fallen into disrepair. Residents noted that the track is no longer maintained and has become overrun by unauthorised encroachments. Citing traffic congestion near Shanmukhananda Hall and Gandhi Market, local residents had proposed converting the underutilised space into a regulated parking facility.
However, the plan has now been shelved, and a Rs 9 crore tender for the upkeep of the cycling track has also been cancelled due to budgetary constraints. Appeals to private firms for CSR-based maintenance received no response. Payal Shah, a representative from United Societies of Sion, criticised the BMC’s decision, claiming the track has become a dumping ground and hotspot for illicit activities due to neglect. She questioned why regulated parking is deemed an encroachment, while illegal hutments remain untouched.
Source: Hindustan Times
