BMC to finalise Open space adoption policy in 15 days: Mangal Prabhat Lodha

There are 1,104 recreation grounds and playgrounds in Mumbai. File Pic

Mangal Prabhat Lodha, guardian minister, Mumbai Suburban district, has revealed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) would finalise its open space adoption policy in 15 days. Under it, the civic body will give playgrounds up for adoption and specialised sports facilities will be set up on them. The public, however, can access them after paying a nominal fee.

Speaking at a press conference at the BMC headquarters on Tuesday, Lodha said the civic body had decided to publish the final recreation grounds and playgrounds (RG-PG) policy. Citizens had opposed the policy during a meeting held on December 1 to hear objections to the idea. They demanded that all gardens and grounds should be maintained by the civic body itself. "I have also suggested that the BMC should maintain all gardens. The civic body can playgrounds up for adoption for specialised sports, but they will be open to the public for nominal fees," Lodha said at the press conference.

"This rule will be implemented for swimming pools that are on land owned by the BMC and managed by private parties," he added. On January 9, mid-day highlighted how even after a month since the public hearing, BMC had not published the final policy. According to the sources, a high-level meeting was recently held to discuss the matter, which was attended by Lodha, Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashiwini Bhide and other senior officials.

The draft of the policy was published in September last year. Soon after, the BMC received 100 written objections to it. There are 1,104 recreation grounds and playgrounds, which span an area of 562 hectares in total while private clubs or institutes maintain 52 grounds.