Fresh objections have been raised over the proposed allotment of public land and sports facilities owned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) to Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal, with activists expressing concern over the impact on public access.
The proposals include handing over the BMC-owned 12-acre Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Andheri (West) to the educational institution for 10 years under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. They also involve the temporary allotment of two MHADA-owned open plots in Juhu and D.N. Nagar to the Mandal for three years on a caretaker and beautification basis.
The Juhu site includes Lokmanya Tilak Udyan, a public garden maintained by the BMC, while part of the D.N. Nagar land earmarked for an edutainment theme park has also been proposed for allotment.
RTI activist Anil Galgali has submitted objections to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the BMC and MHADA, urging the authorities to reconsider both proposals. He argued that public gardens, playgrounds and open spaces are community assets and should continue to remain freely accessible to citizens.
Responding to the objections, BJP MLC Amrish Patel, who serves as president and trustee of Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal, denied any irregularities in the allotment process. He said the institution had been selected through the BMC’s transparent Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
Patel stated that the Mandal, which manages educational institutions with more than 52,000 students, faces a shortage of sports infrastructure in Mumbai and requires additional facilities to support student activities.
“The land will be used solely to develop sports facilities for students. There will be no construction, and the plots will be used exclusively for sports activities,” Patel said.
The proposed allotments have triggered a fresh debate over the use of public land, with concerns being raised about balancing educational infrastructure needs with preserving public access to open spaces and recreational facilities.
Source: The Free Press Journal
