Mumbai: A plan of the Maharashtra government to create a large park on a portion of Mumbai’s famed Mahalaxmi Racecourse has stirred a political controversy, with the Opposition saying it has been done without public dialogue and is an attempt to grab land of Mumbai’s clubs.
Initially, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had proposed to take over a part of the race course land to be turned into a ‘theme park’ as a condition to renew the lease agreement.
The lease agreement of the race course land, which was with the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), had expired in 2013.
But, the government has now given its nod to the plan of building a central park on the lines of New York, London for which the BMC proposes to take over 120 acre of land of the 211-acre race course.
“The cabinet cleared the proposal to develop an international standards central park, which will come up on 120 acre of the land. The land parcel will be developed into Central Park by the BMC. Earlier the land was with the Royal Western India Turf club, popularly known as Mahalaxmi racecourse,” read a government release issued Monday
For this purpose, the plan is to combine the green spaces along the coastal road and the Mahalaxmi Race Course for developing the park on 320 acre of land.
“We want to make a big international central park within the race course. We have demanded 120 acre of land from them (RWITC). Along with that, there will be 200 acre of reclaimed land off the coastal road in Worli. Thus, a big central park spread over 320 acre will be built in Mumbai,” Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said, ensuring that the race course will continue to be operational.
But the BMC’s plan for transforming what happens to the last major open space for the public in Mumbai may be easier said than done. ThePrint looks at how the plan came about and what the opposition is criticising the government for.
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Race course plan
Built in 1883, the Mahalaxmi Racecourse is a horse racing track spread over approximately 225 acre of open land facing the sea in the heart of Mumbai. “The Club hosts racing at two race courses: at the Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai from November to April and at 6, Arjun Marg, Pune from July to October — in all a total of around 70 race days in a year,” reads the RWITC website.
On 29 and 30 January, the RWITC held its extraordinary general body meeting, in which the proposal to transform the 140-year-old racecourse was put on vote before its 1,718 members.
A total of 708 members participated in voting on the BMC’s plan, which found support of 540 while the remaining 168 vetoed the proposal of the theme park.
In the meeting, it was also decided that the civic body would renew RWITC’s race course land lease for the next 30 years, permit the club to build a new clubhouse, which will be a new recreation facility for members, and also allow repairing work in their premises.
The BMC promised to renew the land lease for another 30 years, if 120 acre of land was handed to it.
According to the government, within the remaining 91 acre of land with the RWITC, the race tracks, helipad, grandstand and certain horse stables will stay with the race course.
It was also decided in the meeting that the BMC would help the RWITC to rebuild the horse stables.
Opposition to the proposal
After the cabinet decision was announced Monday, Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad slammed the ‘Mahayuti’ (grand alliance) government for not having a public dialogue and for approving the proposal without involving stakeholders.
“Mahalaxmi Racecourse belongs to the city, not just a select few. Mumbaikars have repeatedly demanded that plans for the racecourse land should first be made public and no decision regarding the future of the greens at the racecourse be taken without a prior public consultation process,” she said.
“All we are demanding is transparency, and a seat at the table for citizens for any decisions regarding the open space they own. Why can’t this be done? What is the government hiding?”
On Tuesday, Shiv Sena UBT MLA Aaditya Thackeray also slammed the BMC administrator and state government, adding that his party’s government will “reverse the decision after coming to power.”
He also alleged that the Eknath Shinde government will now grab land from other clubs in the city.
Speaking of the land grab of racecourse by the bjp sponsored regime, some points still remain:
1) No clarity on the proposed rehabilitation of the informal homes/ settlement in one corner of the racecourse. My knowledge of the Mindhe regime says, they will want to bring in their…
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) March 12, 2024
Former Congress leader Milind Deora, who recently joined the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena, questioned the integrity of the Thackeray scion.
He wondered why Thackeray couldn’t convert the land into a public park for the last 11 years if he is passionate about open spaces.
“Today’s cabinet decision sets the record straight. 120 acre of land in the heart of Mumbai will be transformed into a people’s Central Park. I urge Mumbaikars to get involved and reclaim what is rightfully theirs,” the former Union minister added.
(Edited by Tony Rai)