Mulund playground gets lifeline, residents relieved

HC stays concretisation of playground; asks BMC to file affidavit stating under which rule BJP corporator Rajni Kini was allowed to start the work

A former legislator of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Shirish Shinde has rushed to the Bombay High Court, accusing the local Bharatiya Janta Party corporator, Rajni Kini, of usurping a playground, Sambhaji Raje Maidan, in Mulund.

Shinde and two others in their petition have alleged that this is a conspiracy by Kini as he has already begun concretising the playground.

The division bench of Bombay High Court, Justices Abhay Oka and Riyaz Chagla, on Tuesday, has asked the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file an affidavit stating under which rule has the corporator been allowed to start this work, which the court directed BMC to file by next week.

After discussing the residential project in details with the workers of state and central government, three decades ago they were given the lanbd near Sambhaji Raje Maidan and this open plot was allotted for a playground. Due to which the residents in Mulund got an open area for public recreational activities.

This was for the first time in Mumbai, the TDR rule was implemented for the playground. This entire plot is now reserved under ‘playground’ by the BMC. This ground has nearly 4000 joggers and many other people coming here to play various games and schools use this ground for their sports events. The trust that runs this ground 15 years ago started musical jogging track. The trust also provides water cooler and free reading room along the playground.

The residents and general public have been up in arms against the development project, which means the natural track will be covered by cement concrete. The petition has accused the corporator of now wanting to introduce skating, ring, badminton court, volleyball, football and basketball court, on concrete under new developmental scheme. The petition alleges breach of various rules for this project. This project is likely to cost Rs 7.15 crores.

Adjacent to this ground, is another playground, Chintamanrao Deshmukh, where BMC first started a skating ring. They are said to have spent few crores on this project, which is lying idle, as nobody is seen skating on it, says the petition. The entire expansion and development is being done without any vision and wastage of public money, allege the petitioners.

The bench has stayed all development and concrete work on this playground till May 3.