After scrapping the city's Development Plan (DP) and a stay over the BMC's pay-and-park policy, this is the third major civic policy on which Fadnavis has either intervened or ordered a review.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) proposes and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis disposes.
This has now become the new trend on almost all major BMC policies that have courted controversy or faced opposition from citizens. Two days after the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP corporators passed the civic body's new open space policy, Fadnavis ordered its review.
After scrapping the city's Development Plan (DP) and a stay over the BMC's pay-and-park policy, this is the third major civic policy on which Fadnavis has either intervened or ordered a review.
Following a hue and cry over the policy that would deny citizens free access to open spaces and would favour corporate houses to maintain them, a BJP delegation, led by city chief Ashish Shelar and Andheri (West) legislator Ameet Satam, met Fadnavis on Friday.
Several BJP leaders like Andheri (West) legislator Ameet Satam had even called the policy "anti-citizen".
"There is a lot of fear about the policy in the minds of the people. They think that open spaces will be usurped. Over 200 open spaces that are now with various organisations should be taken back. A review should be done so that all open spaces are available for Mumbaikars," Fadnavis directed BMC chief Ajoy Mehta.
Fadnavis has now asked Mehta to review the policy and submit a report to him, virtually staying the controversial policy for now.
"The CM has taken a decision that will give back all open spaces to citizens. We now want the BMC chief to review the policy and make the necessary changes. We want a permanent solution to the issue of open spaces in the city," Shelar said.
While the BJP had opposed the policy for long, it, along with the Shiv Sena, had passed it in the BMC. "We had reservations about the policy right from day one. We had even asked that it be referred back. The CM has heard the voice of citizens," said Manoj Kotak, the BJP's group leader in the BMC.
Over the last year, Fadnavis had 'reviewed' several controversial policies and projects. The MMRDA's plan to have a car shed for the Metro 111 project was the first.
After several protests, Fadnavis constituted an expert panel to look into the project and submit a report. Months later, he scrapped the new development plan, which called for development at the cost of green zones and had many flaws. Similarly, the parking policy, which had hiked charges by 300%, was also stayed by the state government following protests by residents.
"In most cases, the BJP has done a turnaround. They pass the policy in the BMC and then their legislators oppose the policy. They then meet the CM and get a stay. This way, Fadnavis emerges as a hero fighting for the city. BJP leaders who oppose also become popular among citizen groups," said a political observer.
BJP leaders said that with the BMC polls scheduled for next year, they wanted to reach out to various citizen groups too.
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