The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday reclaimed a 6.9-acre land parcel which remained under the grip of encroachers for nearly 15 years. Civic officials said this plot will now be transformed into a Vedic Garden. Located in the densely populated Malvani locality of Malad in the western suburbs, this land was originally reserved for creating an open space under the BMC's Development Plan (DP) 2034 module. This place is also located very close to Poisar river and has the elevated Metro 2A line passing above it. However, since 2008, this plot was being encroached by small scale business outlets which include storage houses of old furniture and secondhand furniture and scrap shops. Since this plot was encroached, the civic body couldn't carry out beautification works for the garden. Also, this plot was owned by the suburban collector who only handed it over to the BMC, earlier this year. Meanwhile, the civic body demolished all the 63 illegal structures on this plot. The BMC took over the land from the collector in July this year following which the civic body had issued notices to all the occupants in the plot. “At first, we have asked the occupants of this plot to furnish paper document that would justify their ownership on this plot. We have found out that only eight of them have valid documents due to which we will be either giving them alternative location to set up shop or monetary compensation. Besides this, all the remaining 63 illegal structures have been removed,” Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner, told Express. Dighavkar said the work of constructing the compound will start immediately and the site will be protected by barricades. Civic officials also mentioned that since this plot is reserved as an open space, a theme park will be developed on it and in future a road will be constructed that will run parallel below the elevated Metro line and will connect Charkop with Malad intersecting the Poisar river. Meanwhile, Gopal Shetty, who is the local MP, have requested creation of a Vedic theme park like the one in Noida’s Sector 78. Shetty also said the collector’s move of handing over the plot to BMC has come after his consistent follow-ups. “A once neglected dumping ground in Noida is today known as Vedic Van, where visitors can immerse themselves in ancient India’s rich heritage and spiritual essence. Thus, I would request you to consider my above suggestions and ensure the said land is used for construction of a much-needed Vedic theme park with the core objective of benefitting common people,” said Shetty in a proposal sent to the civic body's local ward office. Civic officials said that after the compound wall is built, tenders would be floated for transforming the land parcel into a Vedic Garden.
