THEY SAVE THEIR FOOTBALL GROUND, FIGHT TO SAVE MORE OPEN SPACES
For Abdul Rahim, 43, and Rajendra Lalzare, 59, the fight to save open spaces in the Maharashtra Housing Area and Development Authoritys cluster of Sahakar Nagar in Tilak Nagar, Chembur, is also a battle to save sports in the locality.
Both Rahim and Lalzare, former professional footballers who used to play at city level, started off by fighting to protect the 7,612-sq metre football ground that was their second home from encroachment.
The battle began in 2006 after Rahim saw that one side of the boundary wall had shifted a few feet inside. Inquiry revealed that the adjoining underconstruction building was encroaching upon a portion of the ground. Then we were ignorant about whom to approach and how to lodge complaints, said Rahim, who co-founded the forum, Sahakar Nagar Youth Forum, to mobilise citizens to fight for the ground.
After several letters to the BMC and Mhada, civic officials intervened and the builder backed off.
Since then, armed with the Mhada layout plan for Sahakar Nagar, the duo has been fighting for the revamp of two playgrounds and a garden. They are in dire need of maintenance. The BMC needs to level the playgrounds and beautify the garden, said Lalzare, an income tax officer.
The duo said theirs is a lone battle as locals are not interested in the issue.
Citispace coordinator and architect Parul Kumtha said: The fight in Sahakar Nagar is complex as it is Mhada land and the BMC is unwilling to intervene.