Activists Protest Rs 53 Crore Gorai Parking Lot Near Vipassana Pagoda
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) proposal to acquire 9,712.70 square metres of land for a Rs 53-crore public parking facility in Gorai, near the Global Vipassana Pagoda and Water Kingdom, has triggered a sharp backlash from local activists. The project, which aims to ease traffic congestion near these popular tourist attractions, faces intense opposition over the use of civic funds and the environmental impact on the local green cover.
The Mumbai Suburban Collector recently issued a notification initiating the land acquisition process. Under the current plan, the BMC will bear the entire cost of compensation for the land, and possession of the property will be handed over to the civic body once the legal procedures are completed.
However, civic activists have strongly questioned the financial and ecological justification of the project. Godfrey Pimenta, the founder of the Watchdog Foundation, sent a letter to BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and the Maharashtra state government, urging them to either withdraw or halt the proposal.
Pimenta argued that spending Rs 53 crore of taxpayers' money to build a parking lot that primarily benefits visitors of two tourist attractions is unjustified. He suggested that the project should instead be funded by the actual beneficiaries or developed through a public-private partnership. Pimenta also called for greater financial discipline and transparency regarding major land acquisitions by the civic body, especially when Mumbai faces critical shortages in basic infrastructure like water supply, roads, healthcare, and public transport.
Environmental concerns have also been raised. Vinod Gholap, chairperson of the Fight for Right Foundation, criticised the proposal to pave over green land in Gorai. Gholap stated that converting a green parcel into a parking lot defeats its ecological purpose and represents an improper use of public funds.
The controversy comes amid a severe parking shortage in Mumbai. The city has over 50 lakh registered vehicles, with nearly 728 new vehicles added daily. Currently, the BMC operates 37 authorised parking facilities with a total capacity of 30,135 vehicles. To address the shortage, the civic body has also planned to develop underground parking hubs beneath gardens and playgrounds.
