Mumbai: BMC to create theme park at Mahalaxmi racecourse

Nine years after it ended its lease to the turf club, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to develop a theme park at Mahalaxmi racecourse. It will also request the state government for part of the land which is owned by them, for the purpose. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, it is learnt, is also in favour of theme parks.

According to a source, "The BMC estate department drafted a letter on Wednesday to request the state government to hand over part of the land it owns. On Thursday Additional Municipal Commissioner approved this letter and forwarded it to civic chief I S Chahal for final approval. We are going to request the state government for use of the land which it owns. We have attached a copy of the house's resolution, passed in 2013 in which BMC decided to develop a theme park on the racecourse."

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The source said the total area of the racecourse is 8.54 lakh square meters, out of which ownership of 5.96 lakh square meter plots is that of the state government and 2.58 lakh square meter plots are owned by BMC. "We also need a plot that is owned by the state government. So we decided to request the government to hand over the plot to the BMC," the official added.

The BMC had leased the racecourse land to the Royal Western India Turf Club in 1914 for 80 years. After the lease was over in 1994, BMC renewed it till 2013. The BMC house then decided to end the lease and develop a theme park on the plot, but no action was taken till now. Sources claim Chief Minister Shinde is also in favour of developing a theme park at Mahalaxmi. According to news reports, before the 2014 Assembly election, the Shiv Sena had promised voters they would develop theme parks if they came to power. Civic chief Chahal did not respond to messages regarding the matter. The Secretary of RWITC, Niranjan Singh, also did not respond to emails.