Days after the ruling BJP proposed the construction of a dedicated parking facility for the corporators of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a citizens’ group has written to the civic administration stating that corporators should instead be encouraged to use the metro or bus services.
The group has also opposed the BMC’s reported proposal to construct a dedicated Gymkhana for IAS officials on salt-pan land in Wadala.
The BJP’s move came after 20 corporators were penalised by the traffic department for parking their vehicles on the main road outside civic headquarters.
In a letter to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, NGO Conservation Action Trust said, “We understand from recent news reports that there is a move to convert the existing BMC Gymkhana opposite CSMT to a new meeting hall with parking for corporators. Assuming that the news reports are factually correct, we would suggest that the Gymkhana should be improved and made available not just to BMC staff but also to government staffers so that the utilisation improves.”
“Also, the corporators who are reluctant to pay a fine for illegal parking should also be encouraged to use the services provided by BEST buses and Mumbai metro,” it added.
On Friday, Ganesh Khankar, Leader of the House, said a new corporation hall should be constructed near the civic headquarters at Azad Maidan on a plot that currently has a dilapidated Gymkhana.
Earlier, on March 6, the proposal of transforming this facility into a town hall was tabled at the civic standing committee, but it did not receive clearance.
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“We had stopped the clearance of the earlier proposal because our objective was to use that space judicially. I have proposed to the Mayor that the said facility should be developed, where a new corporation hall should be constructed on the first floor with adequate parking facilities being made available in the basement,” Khankar told The Indian Express.
Khankar said that apart from the inadequate parking area, there is hardly any space for corporators to sit inside the present corporation hall.
This hall was founded in 1893, when the number of corporators was 64. In the last 133 years, the civic body expanded its jurisdiction, and as a result, the strength of corporators increased to 237. However, the capacity to accommodate the corporators remained unchanged.
Earlier this month, the state government had demarcated 13,000 square metres of salt pan lands at Mumbai’s Wadala for constructing a Gymkhana or recreation club for IAS officials in the state.
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Questioning this move, the CAT stated, “Any construction on salt pan lands would be a violation of the existing coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification.”
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
