Has Yash Raj Films blocked BMC park?

MUMBAI: Film production major Yash Raj Films (YRF), which glamourised a thief who never gets caught in the blockbuster Dhoom, has been accused of fencing off a municipal garden adjacent to its office on Andheri Link Road and depriving the public access to it.

The garden bears a board stating it belongs to the BMC. But it has been fenced off in such a way that it appears to be a part of YRF’s property.

Now, the BMC has received a complaint from a person, who claims to own an office in the neighbourhood, that the garden has been locked and out of bounds for commoners for more than six months now. When this reporter tried to enter the ‘locked’ garden through the entry gate of YRF studio, he was stopped by the security men at the gate who claimed people were not allowed inside.

While civic official, R Patil, in charge of maintenance of gardens in K West (Andheri) municipal ward, feigned ignorance about the development, a statement by YRF refuted the charge.  It read: “You have been misinformed. The garden belongs to the BMC. However, it is maintained by YRF. It is open for public and accessible between 6 am- 9 am and 4 pm-7 pm.”