The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed a Rs 5.10-crore makeover for Raosaheb Patwardhan Garden in Bandra, nearly two years after its controversial underground parking plan for the site was shelved following strong opposition from local residents.
The proposed 11-month redevelopment will focus on repairing ageing infrastructure and improving recreational facilities across the park on Road No. 32. The plan includes a new entrance, repairs to the security room, toilets, protective walls, pathways and steps, along with the demolition of an old and deteriorated RCC bridge.
New children’s play equipment, outdoor gym facilities, seating areas, cobbled pathways and information boards are also part of the proposal. Electrical improvements and extensive landscaping have been included to enhance the overall appearance and usability of the park.
Eight companies participated in the tender process, with M/s H & H Associates emerging as the lowest bidder after quoting 34% below the BMC’s estimated project cost. The civic administration has proposed awarding the contract to the firm, with the matter now awaiting approval from the BMC Standing Committee.
The proposed facelift notably excludes the cement-concrete section that had earlier been identified for an underground parking facility.
Swapna Mhatre, BJP corporator from Bandra, said, “Maintenance could not be carried out for several years due to uncertainty over whether the underground parking project would go ahead. As a result, several parts of the park have deteriorated and now urgently require repairs. However, the cement-concrete portion where the underground parking was once proposed has been excluded from the current beautification proposal.”
An H-West ward official said, “The park has remained without repairs for some time, and its present condition necessitated the proposed work.”
The underground parking proposal had triggered prolonged resistance from residents, with concerns over construction activity and the impact on the public open space. The project was eventually abandoned.
The latest redevelopment proposal therefore concentrates on restoring the existing garden rather than pursuing the previously planned underground facility. Once approved and completed, the project is expected to improve the park’s infrastructure and provide upgraded recreational amenities for residents in Bandra.
Source: The Free Press Journal
