Row Over Andheri Open Spaces as Mahayuti BMC Policy Remains Pending
Six months after the BJP-led Mahayuti pledged in its BMC polls manifesto that all open spaces in the city would be maintained solely by the civic body, the proposed policy has not yet been discussed, triggering criticism amid contested plot allotments in Andheri West and Juhu.
The alliance's manifesto, released as a vision document for Mumbai, promised that gardens, recreation grounds, playgrounds, and parks would be protected and rejuvenated through legislation and budgetary allocations. The document explicitly stated that maintenance of all open spaces would be conducted only by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with no private participation permitted, while local citizen groups and Advanced Locality Managements (ALMs) would be assigned monitoring roles.
Despite the commitment, the policy has seen no official deliberations. Mumbai BJP chief MLA Ameet Satam stated that the Mahayuti alliance will roll out the policy this year to resolve existing anomalies regarding open spaces. Satam has also opposed the allotment of 16 acres of open spaces in Juhu and Andheri West to Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal, a trust led by BJP MLC Amrish Patel.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has targeted the ruling coalition over the delay and land allotments. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray criticized the administration on X, stating that 16 acres of open space were being taken from citizens in Juhu and Andheri and handed over to a trust led by a BJP MLC.
Thackeray also pointed to the BMC general body's approval of a proposal to convert the Neville D’Souza Football Ground in Bandra into a convention and exhibition centre, alongside the BMC improvement committee's clearance to alter the reservation of a 4,247.5-square-metre plot in Mulund East from a sports complex and stadium to a fuel station.
Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad also criticized the government on X, alleging that open spaces, dumping grounds, salt pan lands, and mangrove areas across the city were being compromised.
Mumbai's previous open spaces policy was put on hold by CM Devendra Fadnavis in 2016 following objections against allowing private entities to adopt public lands. Subsequent drafts prepared by the BMC also faced pushback and were ultimately shelved.
