MUMBAI: The civic administration is reluctant to drop the caretaker policy for open spaces despite vociferous opposition from green activists. It plans to adopt an amended version that municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar finalized on Thursday night. The draft proposes to allow the caretaker to commercially exploit 25% of a plot above 50,000 sq feet, while making him pay for maintenance of the remaining 75%, physical possession of which the BMC plans to retain with itself.
The BMC claims this is because it can't afford to develop and maintain the city's 1,200 reserved open spaces. Aseem Gupta, additional municipal commissioner, said the BMC would have to incur a one-time expenditure of around Rs 1,000 crore just to develop the plots, which would take at least five to seven years.
The civic body will put up the final draft proposal on its website by June 28 so that citizens can send in their objections and suggestions within 30 days. Thereafter there will be a public hearing. The administration may modify the proposal if there are valid suggestions and then put it before the Improvements Committee for its approval. After the general body too gives its approval, it will be sent to the state government for the go-ahead .
However, Neera Punj, convenor , Citispace, a citizens' group that has been fighting to save the city's few open spaces said it was a crying shame that the BMC was unwilling to provide Mumbaikars their much-needed green space.
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