Mumbai: After months of relentless protest, the residents of Bandra and Khar finally succeeded in their fight against the controversial underground parking project at Patwardhan Park. On Tuesday, the additional municipal commissioner officially scrapped the project tender, marking the end of a long and bitter battle.
While a similar underground parking lot at Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu was quickly shelved after protests, the fight for Patwardhan Park stretched on for more than a year. Vandre West MLA Ashish Shelar had hinted at the project’s cancellation during a flag-hoisting event on August 15.
According to a report by Mid-day quoting a civic official, the tender for the underground parking lot would not be uploaded to the e-tender site anymore. Despite several extensions, the BMC decided to halt the tendering process due to strong opposition from locals and an ongoing court case. “The additional commissioner signed the document on Tuesday,” confirmed the official. Although the BMC doesn’t need court approval to scrap the project, it still has the option to float the tender again in the future if necessary.
Residents Opposed BMC’s Tender For Parking Lot
The BMC had floated the tender in March 2023, proposing a parking lot for 288 cars under Patwardhan Park. Despite vocal opposition from residents, the tender process continued, leading to a legal challenge. Petitioners Zoru Bhathena and Alan Abraham filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the project in June 2023, citing concerns over the unnecessary destruction of open space.
Mumbai: Residents Accuse BMC of Proposed Underground Parking & Construction Over Patwardhan Park
Bhathena, a well-known activist, had expressed frustration over the BMC’s repeated postponement of tender submission dates. “We also conducted a survey of parking space in the area, which is included in the PIL,” Bhathena noted. The petitioners pointed out that there are already 500 sanctioned parking spaces within 150 meters of Patwardhan Park, of which 400 remain unused. The PIL argued that the BMC’s Parking Authority had relied on a misleading report, overlooking the availability of parking spaces in the area.
Though the BMC chief, Bhushan Gagrani confirmed the cancellation of the underground parking project, a senior official noted that the decision was formally made only after the document was signed on Tuesday, according to the report. The project was scrapped in light of local resistance, legal action, and meetings between local MLAs and the former BMC commissioner. The issue could be revisited, but only after considering residents’ views.
