Theme park proposal at Mahalaxmi Racecourse: BMC’s proposal upsets city residents, activists

The reasoning behind the BMC’s proposal is that it wants to make privately owned and often unused green spaces accessible to citizens.

While the reasoning given by the BMC will create an accessible open space for a large number of Mumbai’s residents, a clear plan on the same is still not available. Even in the Bombay High Court, while seeking deferral of e-voting for renewal of lease for the racecourse, the petitioner member of the club had argued that the BMC commissioner had not given final plan for the public garden and therefore they cannot vote without the same.

On January 25, Advocate General Birendra Saraf for the state government had submitted before the High Court that the proposal required RWITC’s decision because it was once the lessee of the entirety of the land (till 2013), adding that the proposal may not even be approved by the RWITC. Even if it is approved, the ultimate decision will be taken by the state government, he said. Saraf said the decision of either the RWITC or of the state government “cannot be forestalled by a writ court”. He added that even if the proposal was passed by the EGM of RWITC, the decision that the government may take is still entirely at large.

WHAT HAS BMC PROPOSED

The RWITC or the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, as it is popularly known as, was built in 1883 on a sea-facing land parcel, modelled on the Randwick Racecourse of Sydney. The land parcel was donated by Sir Cursow N Wadia, which was later taken over by the then city’s municipal authorities and subsequently the RWITC was allowed to continue operations after paying a lease fee.

While the lease has been renewed multiple times, the BMC in 2013 decided against extending it further. While several plans were floated in these years of reacquiring the land, the racecourse continued its operations.

With RWITC members anxious about what the state and the BMC were planning to do with the said land, the latter put forth a proposal promising to extend the said lease provided the RWITC agreed to hand back 120 of the total 211 acres back to the BMC.

Municipal commissioner and state-appointed administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal on January 18 gave an open house presentation to members of the RWITC to put forth his vision to the members.

The BMC plans to create an open green space in the 120-acre plot, which will have pathways, walkways and sitting areas for visitors. Besides, the BMC has also proposed creation of an underground subway that will connect the plot with the upcoming 175-acre green open space being created in the reclamation of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP).

The BMC in its proposal has also stated that the entire park would be opened for public access, modelled on the Hyde Park in London or Central Park, New York.

“By theme park we don’t mean that we are going to create an amusement park by doing additional constructions nor do we mean that the plot will be taken up by real estate lobbies for developing them. It will be 200 acres of open space which will be a boon for citizens and having it merged with a 175-acre upcoming parcel for the coastal road, the city will gain close to 300 acres of open space,” said an official.

The RWITC members were assured that the races would go on unhindered.

MEMBER’s CONCERN

Between January 29 and 30, a total of 708 members voted for or against the decision of the BMC’s plan. Out of the total members who voted, 540 of them supported BMC’s proposal, while 168 were against the proposal.

“The primary motive behind member’s voting in favour of the BMC’s proposal is to ensure that the existing lease gets renewed. The BMC has proposed that once the agreement gets renewed, we will get some FSI benefits that would allow us to renovate some of the old structures present inside the compound and convert them into a club house that will have a swimming pool and tennis court among other features,” Suresh Sanas, chairperson of RWITC told Express.

Members also said that apart from the lease and license fee, the BMC will not charge anything from RWITC once the lease is renewed.

Sanas said that the race tracks, helipad, grandstand, along with some of the horse stables fall under the 91-acre portion which will stay with the racecourse.

While the remaining 120-acres plot will house the jogging tracks, some of the stables, the parking area and portion of the lawn. “The authorities have stated that all the heritage structures will stay as it is with the RWITC and they will not be altered with,” Sanas said.

Meanwhile, members also expressed that the BMC hasn’t proposed any blueprint of the project which they want to execute at the grounds.

QUESTIONS RAISED BY ACTIVISTS

Interestingly, the entire vision that the BMC has for the racecourse was explained orally to the members. The BMC hasn’t presented any blueprint of the project which they want to execute at the grounds.

“The BMC had already put a condition stating that the lease would only be renewed after the RWITC accepted their proposed clauses. The voting was based on minutes of the meeting in which the municipal commissioner was present; however, there is no proper presentation that was shown to us nor is there any blueprint. It appears that several aspects about the project are yet to be finalised,” Vivek Jain, former chairperson of RWITC, said.

Activists have also questioned the BMC’s intent of rushing through with the lease extension without holding public consultations on what it was planning to do with one of the largest green spaces in the city. “The BMC is using a term called ‘theme park’ which appears to be very dicey; therefore, unless and until they share the holistic idea of the plan, we citizens cannot actually understand what’s their actual motive right now,” Alan Abraham, a city-based architect and an open space activist, said.

Former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar said that out of the 1,718 members of the RWITC, only 540 members voted in favour of the plan. This doesn’t mean that residents of the city are in favour of it and that the racecourse belongs to all Mumbaikars.

He also wrote to the BMC on Wednesday, raising questions on the proposed racecourse land development.

In his letter, Narwekar stated that this is a rare open space which is well-maintained and utilised by the public. “Schoolchildren are taught polo and horseriding here, which happens in no other city in Maharashtra. The BMC should responsibly come out and clear the concerns of the public at large. There is still a question about whether this development plan is necessary. The BMC should act as an auditor of open space and not as an owner. There can’t be a better use of this space other than what’s happening right now,” said Narwekar.

(With inputs from Omkar Gokhale)