Mumbai: Juhu residents take the fight online, give alternatives

Residents of Juhu gathered at Pushpa Narsee park to protest against the proposed parking lot under it, on Sunday. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Residents of Juhu and activists have started an online petition to support their movement against parking lots under parks in Mumbai. The opposition arose after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a plan to construct parking lots under Pushpa Narsee park at JVPD and Patwardhan park at Bandra west. The civic chief said the BMC will try to resolve the issue as public parking lots are necessary for the city.

The movement against parking under Pushpa Narsee park started last week, after the BMC decision came to light. Though local MLA Amit Satam has requested citizens to consider the option, as it will be a win-win situation to deal with unauthorised parking on roads, citizens are firm on their opposition. Samarth Das, an architect from JVPD, started an online petition on Monday and it has been signed by more than 2,050 people across the city.

The BMC has also planned parking under the Patwardhan Park at Bandra. File pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The petition reads: Parks serve a multitude of functions - they act as large sponges for rainwater amidst increasing impervious and concrete developments thereby mitigating further flooding risks, they help reduce the CO2 in the air amidst the rapidly declining air quality and they help mitigate the compounding urban heat island effects, thereby forming an oasis for people in dense neighbourhoods.

It further mentioned that creating an impervious concrete slab for an underground parking lot would require the century old rain trees to be cut and compromise the park's ability to perform any of the above functions -thereby rendering it useless.

Also Read: Mumbai: Our parks are not for parking, say Juhu residents

The residents also wrote a letter to the BMC chief over the issue, suggesting an alternative site for the proposed parking lot - BMC yard along Irla nullah from 6th to 9th NS roads, measuring 10,000 square metres. A three-level parking lot here can accommodate more than 1,000 cars.

Iqbal Singh Chahal, municipal commissioner, said, "The BMC will try to resolve the issue with discussions at the official and expert level, as well as with citizens. Public parking lots are the need of the hour."

2,050
No of people who signed the online petition

1,000
No of cars the alternative suggested can park