Mumbai: ‘Let your voices be heard’

Former corporator Makarand Narwekar (centre, 10th from right) at the meet in Colaba on Sunday morning. Pic/Shadab Khan

South Mumbai residents, majority from Colaba and Cuffe Parade met former corporator Makarand Narwekar on Sunday morning.

The freewheeling conversation-discussion at a Colaba hotel focused on the draft for open spaces (garden and playground) policy by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Narwekar called for the meet at the Colaba hotel to get some insight into the community's thoughts on the open spaces policy draft.

Narwekar began stating, "After a long time, the BMC is out with a policy primarily with reference to Recreational Ground plots and Play Grounds (RG-PG). This is a draft. The BMC wants you to write to them. If you have suggestions, objections, any interventions, do write in by the October deadline."

Revision

Narwekar, while asking for opinions, said that he believed the policy draft needed to be, "revised and redrafted. Currently, it is oriented towards those who have money. Yet, the BMC is a cash rich body, and the policy should factor in people like you all who have come in for this meet on a Sunday morning."

Narwekar said "the intent" must be taken into account. He elaborated, "The intent to keep spaces open and maintain them. The authorities must harness the physical presence of the residents, which shows willingness and interest, rather than harnessing money power alone." As his audience listened, the ex-corporator cautioned, "we must understand though that like they say: there are no free lunches. These grounds can have a small entry fee of R2 or so, just so that in the long run they become self-sustaining and can help in keeping certain unwanted elements out." Narwekar added, "We need to have another round of meetings for suggestions and objections. This is a casual first meet."

Funds

The former corporator threw the floor open to the attendees telling them they could write in, make themselves heard on aspects like a small fee for entrance if they agreed, or other points they wanted to raise. The overall point though was not to sit silent and raise objections later, but make voices heard and hopefully count at the draft stage itself and when invited to do so. There was an animated discussion on how some plots, especially in the suburbs had been usurped by old school politicians, "and those open grounds now have clubs on them, with a restricted access," said Narwekar. There was consensus on guarding against that. Local resident Ajay Multani said, "There is the question of funds for maintenance, for a watchman on these grounds. There are several hotels in this area (Colaba). They are certainly benefitting by all the beautification works in the area done by residents. May be it is a good idea to ask commercial establishments to fund some maintenance." Narwekar said, "Commercial establishments could be made to spend on the immediate outside areas, that can be made mandatory." Some said the sponsor could even get some kind of visibility or publicity within the space, though this has to be carefully worked out.

Together

With that, the freewheeling chat moved on to collaboration. That resonated widely as many said there could be a collaboration between the BMC, Advanced Locality Managements, or Associations and a sponsor/funding body for these gardens. Several said the BMC itself could fund the maintenance, not a commercial establishment, since the civic body has a robust kitty, with citizens maintaining vigil and alert to the ground kept open and used for the correct purpose, alive to threat of encroachments or takeovers. Several residents nodded to a joint effort between authorities and locals which they felt would work well. The prospect of forming "garden committees" also came up. In the end, the former corporator reiterated that residents need to organize themselves, jot down their thoughts and send him valid, workable suggestions after going through the policy draft minutely. He will then collate and formalize, after all points are in. "You create the guidelines, decide a framework, then you can hold the elected representative responsible," he ended.

Several meetings and heated debates/discussions are on about the draft of this policy through the city, with activists, locals and political representatives pitching in. Those not from the city may be confused at the interest and passion this has aroused but Mumbaikars know, as there is no subject that evinces as much response as the most precious commodity in this city - space.