Residents "oppose" de-reservation of plot

The residents of Carmichael Road Citizen's Committee, Altamount Road Area Citizens Committee and Peddar Road Residents Association, have jointly approached the municipal commissioner's office opposing de-reservation of an open space in the nieghbourhood. They want that plot to be reserved as open space so that it can be used as children's park or as a senior citizen's park or garden.

The plot which is on extension of Carmichael Road or Byramji Gamadia / M L Dhanukar Marg was earlier reserved for Children's play ground in the development plan (DP) which has lapsed. Although the authorities had served acquisition notice for the plot, since they did not purchase it, the notice lapsed. The Supreme Court upheld the lapsing of notice and stated that the plot stands de-reserved.

Adjacent to the Japanese Consulate and opposite Gulistan building, at preset a board on the plot says that the property is currently with the court receiver of Bombay High Court as it is stuck in litigation between two disputing parties, B N Gamadia and S P Seth.

The residents in their letter to the municipal commissioner have stated that they do not know on "who's behest, the said change of land use from "Children's Park / Garden" to "Residential" has taken place.

The three associations in their letter said that they "would like to lodge an official objection regarding the change in nomenclature of plot no. 18/73 in the Greater Mumbai new development plan 2034"

"The plot of land was given notice by the BMC for acquisition but they failed to purchase it. The owners went to Supreme Court and took it back. There is no open space in the nearby area and now with the new DP plan showing the reservation as residential, we were alarmed and want to hurry up with this issue," said Captain Ashok Batra, chairperson of Altamount Road and signatory to the letter given to the municipal commissioner of the sudden panic to have the plot reserved again after residents had opposed the de-reservation a few years ago.

Residents said that there are no plots and that they have been in talks with the Japanese Consulate, which had offered them to develop it as in the theme of Japanese Garden. "When I was young, I have played there and it was a nice place. The Japanese Consulate which is next to it had offered to develop it. We can only request the government to reserve it as open space," said Anita Lawyer, committee member of Carmichael Road who is another signatory.

Also being opposed is changing of "Green Hill Slope" nomenclature to "Green Belt" in the new development plan.

"The residents have already had a meeting on the issue among themselves and would want to take up the issue," said Ramesh Kundanmal, a vocal resident of the area.

The residents are also opposing the change of "Green Hill Slope" nomenclature to "Green Belt" in the new development plan. "In the new DP they have marked open spaces that are in private properties like the Municipal Commissioner's bungalow, other government bungalows or Consulate premises. These are not accessible to the public and so cannot be considered as public open spaces," said Rohan Lamba, who lives in the building opposite to the plot of land.

Local MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha who is said to have taken the meeting with the residents and local corporator, Sarita Patil are backing the reservation.

"We had opposed it earlier and we will keep opposing it till the time reservation is restored back to children's park," said Mangal Prabhat Lodha. When asked about the BMC failing to procure the land after issuing notice, Lodha said, "That was an old matter. With new DP plan, things start afresh and it is an altogether new thing. We will get the reservation back."

Behram Gamadia did not resond to calls and text messages from DNA. S P Seth could not be reached for comment.