A Herculean fight to save open spaces in Mumbai
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A large number of citizens’ groups from all over Mumbai are gathering to kick-start a campaign to save the city’s 800-odd public open spaces like playgrounds, gardens and parks spread over 940 acres at cream areas in the sprawling city where every inch of land is counted. These groups are demanding the repeal of the government’s 'Caretaker Policy' under which plots are given to private institutions to be used to construct clubs, gymkhanas and restaurants on public open spaces.
The official reason given by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which rules the city, for the Caretaker Policy is insufficient funds . But the citizens' groups argue that funds are more than enough. 'We have made the calculations and it amounts to Rs103.4 crore for maintaining a total of 940 acres of open spaces in Mumbai. The budget allocation for the period 2010-11 can sufficiently cover this', they argue.
On November 26, 2007, a similar campaign had culminated in an open letter to the Chief Minister of the state by eminent citizens in the city. It resulted in a stay on the policy. Now the BMC has revived the move. Citispace, an NGO fighting for the protection of Mumbai’s open spaces, has convened a meeting to mobilise various citizen’s associations to come forward and protect open spaces — playgrounds, gardens and parks — in their respective Wards.
“We will empower citizens’ groups to treat open spaces as their personal property, so that they can lobby with the government to demand that they don’t want a caretaker policy or an adoption policy. They will write to the chief minister just like we have done for the A ward,” they say.
Mumbai has 940 acres of open spaces. According to CitiSpace, the upgrading and restoration of an acre of open space would involve approximately Rs 5 lakh as capital cost and monthly maintenance cost of Rs. 50,000. The cost for the first year will be Rs 11 lakh an acre. Therefore 940 acres will cost at least Rs. 103 crore for the first year and Rs. 56.5 crore annually thereafter, the NGO said.
