Aaditya Thackeray Steps Up Fight to Protect Mumbai’s Open Spaces, Plans Citywide Protest

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has stepped up his campaign to protect Mumbai’s public open spaces, calling for greater scrutiny of proposals involving playgrounds, gardens and other land meant for public use.

The move comes amid a controversy over the proposed allotment of 16 acres of public land to the Shree Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM), an educational trust led by BJP MLC Amrish Patel.

Thackeray has now asked party corporators to keep a close watch on open spaces in their respective wards and immediately flag any proposal that could result in such land being handed over to private organisations or other entities.

He is also expected to lead a protest march in Mumbai in the coming days as part of the campaign.

Thackeray meets party corporators

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader held a meeting with the party’s corporators at Shiv Sena Bhavan on Thursday evening. The meeting focused primarily on the larger issue of protecting Mumbai’s playgrounds, gardens and recreational spaces.

The leaders also discussed what the party described as unnecessary or wasteful expenditure by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), including the proposed renovation of the Mayor’s bungalow at Byculla.

During the meeting, Thackeray briefed corporators about the controversial transfer of the 16 acres of public land to SVKM. He alleged that the move had restricted citizens’ access to spaces that were previously available for public use.

According to party leaders present at the meeting, Thackeray expressed particular concern over the reported decision to stop public entry to some of the land.

Earlier, citizens had reportedly been allowed to use the space for four hours in the morning and four hours in the evening. Thackeray questioned the decision to discontinue that access and argued that public land should continue to serve the wider community.

Which public spaces are involved?

The 16 acres under discussion comprise three important pieces of land in Mumbai.

The largest portion is the 12-acre Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex, commonly known as the Andheri Sports Complex.

Another two-acre plot in DN Nagar, which previously housed a MHADA godown, has been earmarked for an edutainment theme park.

The remaining two acres comprise Lokmanya Tilak Udyan in Juhu, a public garden and recreational area used by residents.

The land has been allotted to SVKM, which is headed by BJP MLC Amrish Patel.

The issue has now become a wider political debate over how Mumbai’s limited open spaces should be used and whether land currently serving public purposes should be transferred to private or institutional entities.

Party corporators asked to monitor open spaces

During the meeting, several Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators reportedly raised concerns about similar proposals in their respective wards.

A corporator from Mumbai’s eastern suburbs referred to a letter by a BJP leader in Mulund concerning the proposed transfer of an open space for a petrol pump near the Mulund highway.

Other corporators also highlighted cases from their areas where public or open land was allegedly being considered for different projects.

Following the discussion, Thackeray instructed all party corporators to closely monitor playgrounds, gardens and open spaces in their wards.

They have been asked to immediately inform the party if any proposal emerges to transfer such land to private organisations, institutions or other entities.

Shiv Sena (UBT) members serving on the BMC’s Improvement Committee have also been asked to closely track proposals involving public spaces and alert the party whenever such matters come up for consideration.

Thackeray had already approached the Chief Minister

The latest campaign follows a letter Thackeray sent to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, demanding that the allotment of the 16 acres to SVKM be cancelled.

In his letter, Thackeray also called for the cancellation of the No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued for the three public spaces.

He argued that the land should remain protected as public space and continue to be accessible to citizens in the larger public interest.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader has maintained that Mumbai is already facing a shortage of open spaces and that existing playgrounds, gardens and recreational areas need to be protected rather than being diverted for other uses.

Protest planned across Mumbai

With the issue now expanding beyond the three disputed locations, Shiv Sena (UBT) plans to take the campaign to different parts of Mumbai.

Thackeray is expected to lead a protest march in the coming days, with the party seeking stronger safeguards for public open spaces.

The campaign could also put renewed political focus on how the BMC and state government handle land-use decisions involving public spaces.

For Mumbai residents, where open land is increasingly limited amid rapid urban development, the controversy has brought a familiar question back into focus: how much public space should remain available for citizens, and who should have the final say over its use?

As the political battle intensifies, the proposed protest and Thackeray’s demand for cancellation of the allotment are likely to keep the issue in the spotlight in the days ahead.

News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.