Three activists have approached the Bombay High Court (HC) regarding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) proposal to construct an overground parking lot on the playground area of Patwardhan Park in Bandra. The petitioners, Zoru Bathena, Samarth Das, and Alan D'souza have added fresh claims to their existing public interest lawsuit.
The controversy comes after civic body's decision to reopen the tender for a parking lot, despite the chief engineer's opposition to the construction of an underground parking facility. The activists fear that the park's functionality will be compromised due to the construction of both overhead structures and an underground parking lot. This has caused unease among local residents and parkgoers.
In an effort to address these issues, Bathena, Das, and D'souza have filed an interim application to modify their public interest lawsuit. The amended PIL contests the BMC's decision to forgo the underground parking lot. It cites the chief engineer's message from 2020, which deemed parking lots under parks undesirable. The amendment also highlights the BMC's intention to proceed with both the underground parking lot and overground buildings.
For transparency, the petitioners obtained the drawing for the underground parking lot through the Right to Information Act. They are also requesting a meeting with the local MLA to express their concerns and discuss the potential repercussions of the parking lot construction. The local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) has failed to meet with the petitioners to discuss the issue.
Additionally, the amendment seeks a report on the usage and abuse of nearby parking lots in Patwardhan Park, which are currently closed to the public. The PIL, with its modifications, is scheduled to be heard on August 23.
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