Mumbaikars Unite Against BMC's Proposed Takeover of Mahalaxmi Racecourse Land

A storm of public opposition has come up against the proposed redevelopment of the historic Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai. The Maharashtra government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have put forward plans for major changes. The plan has sparked concerns among citizens.

A Change.org campaign, initiated by Tanuj Bhatia on January 13, has already collected 18,894 signatures. The campaign saw a surge on Monday, with over 6,000 people signing it. As the information about the BMC's proposal spreads, the campaign is gaining further momentum.

The petition is directed at PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. The petition names BMC's plan as "the deprivation of the only open space and green lung in Mumbai to us Mumbaikars".

The Mahalaxmi Racecourse is a Grade II-B heritage site. It has been a part of Mumbai's landscape for over 140 years. Covering approximately 230 acres of open land, the racecourse houses horse stables, stands for race viewing, and a few offices of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC).

In addition to being an open space, the racecourse is a green area with hundreds of ancient trees. Every day, thousands of residents visit here to stroll, run, practice yoga, play football, cricket, ride horses, or simply relax on the grass. It is Mumbai's last few open areas.

One petitioner has even proposed to turn the Mahalaxmi racecourse into an urban forest. Another petitioner was quoted as pleading, "Race course has been my lung, livelihood, health, recreation, and walking ground. It has been a contributor to my longevity as a diabetic and a respiratory disease patient. Please don't take my life."

The BMC's plan includes creating a theme park within the racecourse, comprising cafes, restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, and other entertainment areas, restricting citizens' access to the racecourse. It also proposes to continue the slum redevelopment approach and build multi-story residential buildings and business complexes. This will allow developers to build within the racecourse.

The construction of a posh clubhouse will turn a sizable portion of the racecourse into a full-fledged club accessible only to RWITC members, thus reducing the amount of open space that is available to the general public. The currently permeable ground made of grass or mud will be extensively concreted over.