Citizens demand a wider debate on better utilisation of the prime plot for public.
The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on Saturday organised a discussion on the future of the Mahalaxmi race course where the citizens and pro open space activists suggested that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should not renew the lease of the Mahalaxmi race course in a hurry.
The participating citizens were of the view that the civic body should call for a wider public debate on the issue of renewal before going ahead with the renewal. “There is no need to renew the lease in a hurry. There are several plots in the city whose leases have long expired. Unless there is public debate and consensus, the authorities should not renew the lease,” said former chief information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
The discussion saw several suggestions on better utilisation of the racecourse land, which is currently accessed only by high flyers.
Darryl D’Monte, chairperson of Forum of Environmental Journalists of India suggested that the race course land can be made into a public open space like the Oval Maidaan.
ORF president Sudheendra Kulkarni said, “There should be a larger debate over the extension of the race course lease. A multi-purpose park can also be made for citizens.”
Some citizens also expressed a lack of trust on the civic body and said the authorities may misuse the prime land and allow encroachments or build memorials. “It may build a memorial or use it for something else. Also, the encroachments are likely to come up on the land as has happened before on other other government lands,” said Manek Daver, a publisher.
Another suggestion that came from Gandhi was that the civic authorities, if it has decided to renew the lease, levy rent as per the current market rate. “So, the money (that would be collected as rent) can be used for the public purposes and for the poor of the state who should also benefit from the land,” he said.
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