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State finalises plan to widen road at Bombay Gymkhana

The leafy Bombay Gymkhana will lose over 3,000 square metres of land, including the manager’s bungalow, portions of the pool and tennis courts, and over 100 trees

State finalises plan to widen road at Bombay Gymkhana
SHARES

The controversial road-widening proposal of Hazarimal Somani Marg, drawn up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now been finalised by the state. As a result, Bombay Gymkhana’s park and the main building will shrink.

As the civic body suggested shrinking the elite club’s compound to increase the road’s width from 60 feet to 80 feet, the leafy Bombay Gymkhana will lose over 3,000 square metres of land, including the manager’s bungalow, portions of the pool and tennis courts, and over 100 trees. 

BMC had proposed the plan after the Bombay Gymkhana resisted granting membership to the 141-year-old club stands on land leased from the state government.

The plan includes construction of a new pedestrian pathway. The large-scale change which is backed by the Devendra Fadnavis administration is being opposed by the club and some activists who think that the proposal is irrational and does not stand any heritage or logical scrutiny.
The club’s president Vijay Rai criticised the plan by saying that the maximum number of pedestrians come from across Oval Maidan. There is neither pedestrian nor vehicular traffic to justify this proposal. An MHCC member also criticised the proposal, especially the part that involves chopping of trees. 

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