Mumbai: Metro Corp wants to gobble up Mahim's only playground

The playground in Mahim that the MMRCL wants for building a car depot for MetroIII PicTanvi PhondekarFirst it was Aarey now its Mahim there seems to be no respite for citys paltry number of open spaces The MetroIII project ColabaBandraSeepz is expected to take over another city playground Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited MMRCL has proposed to construct a depot on the spot where Mahims only playground Vitthalrao Harishchandra Desai Maidan on Bhagoji Keer Marg is locatedThe MMRCL has already taken over a few other open spaces Sane Guruji Udyan in Prabhadevi part of Colaba Woods garden in Cuffe Parade Oval Maidan in Churchgate and Azad Maidan at CSTWhat about the alternativesAccording to the proposal tabled before BMCs improvements committee MMRCL wants 2862 sqm of the 3500sqm Desai Maidan for construction of the depotSpeaking to midday former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS corporator Virendra Tandel said The ground was abandoned for the last so many years it had become a haven for drug addicts and antisocial elements Over the past five years I followed up on its beautification Last year I spent R8 lakh from my corporator funds to instal an openair gym and develop a play area for children Schoolkids and youths frequent it for sports Where will they go if the ground is taken overMMRCL wants to take over the playground despite the fact that there is an available open plot which is right next to the playground There are slums as well as other spaces where the depot can be constructed Why then is MMRCL hellbent on taking over a wellmaintained playground if alternatives are available he questionedResidents of the area too are fuming over MMRCLs plan Speaking to midday a local Datta Patil 55 said This playground is very old in fact its named after my grandfather I used to go there to play as a child This move is nothing but authorities wanting to usurp the plot in the name of MetroThis is the only playground in the vicinity Children as well as senior citizens will be deprived of a space to play on and jog or walk if its given away for a depot he addedTough oppositionOn Thursday after the Shiv Sena Congress NCP Samajwadi Party and MNS opposed the proposal during the committee meeting the discussion was put on hold The proposal asks for 15 BMC plots for Metrorelated work of these MMRCL wants four plots permanentlyIn the meeting Sena corporator and improvements committee chairman Anant Nar had refused to pass the proposal saying that compromise with open spaces would not be allowed He had also said that the proposal would affect BMCs projects supposed to come up on some of the same plotsA civic official said BMC cant hold the proposal indefinitely Since the state is implementing the project it can use its special power to take over the land from local bodies As per section 520 C of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act the state is empowered to acquire a land in public interestThe other sideDesai Maidan is proposed to be used as a construction depot for Shitladevi station As there is no other open space in the area the land is proposed to be used temporarily to keep construction equipment and material After the completion of the work as per civic bodys requirement the ground will be restored to its original condition and handed over said a spokesperson for MMRCL