Residents oppose BMC’sunderground parking plan
They say construction will affect the few open spaces left in the city…..Linah Baliga
They say construction will affect the few open spaces left in the city…..Linah Baliga
Residents of Parel and Mahim aren’t a happy lot. On Monday, around 200 residents gathered at Dhote Park in Mahim (see picture) to protest and voice their concerns against BMC’s proposal to construct underground car parks and shopping areas below two garden plots in Parel and Mahim.
BMC, on March 31, issued a notification saying underground car parks and shopping areas were to be built below Nare Park in Parel and Ramkrishna Dhote Hari Udyan near Hinduja hospital. Residents fear that the underground construction will harm the few open spaces left in the city. “We do not want an underground car park as there is no technology that guarantees that the top of the park will remain unaffected,” said Nagesh Kini, founding trustee, Sangopan Kridangan Samiti. “What if they destroy palm and banyan trees which have taken years to grow?”
The Developmental Control Regulation 68 has a provision for BMC to provide facilities like parking, shopping centres or offices below existing or proposed roads as well as lands reserved for recreational grounds, playgrounds, gardens, parks and open spaces. However, Oval Maidan, Cross Maidan, Azad Maidan, Shivaji Park, all parade grounds, Jambori Maidan, Five Gardens, Nare Park and Dhote Park were left out from the list of DCR (68) provision. But the civic body proposes to exclude the plots in Parel and Mahim from the list.
Residents, on the other hand, are not willing to compromise on their public parks for the sake of private hospitals, schools and hotels. “Parel has predominantly middle class people with two-wheelers and there is no traffic issue here. This all is being done for ITC Grand Central. It seems that BMC is not thinking about the future,” said Bhaskar Sawant, chairman, Maidan Bachao Samiti.
Ashok Rawat, member Shivaji Park Association Citizens and Residents ALM (SPARC), agreed. “There will be more vehicular traffic if a shopping area is constructed below the park. When cars go in low gear, more exhaust fumes will be generated. So the whole purpose of having an open space will be defeated,” he said
But Manu Kumar Srivastava, additional municipal commissioner (projects), said, “Vehicles will have to adhere to emission norms so there is no worry of fumes being generated. Also, there is a technology available that will not disturb the top soil and the park will remain untouched. The idea is to reduce parking on roads. It will help remove visual clutter from Mumbai.”