Mumbai BJP Chief Ameet Satam Asks BMC To Stay Interim Open Spaces Policy And Explore Regulated Advertising

Considering Mumbai’s rapidly shrinking open spaces, BJP city president and Andheri (West) MLA Ameet Satam has demanded that the BMC stay its interim policy and not allot any open spaces to private parties. Satam has urged the civic body to explore regulated advertising in these spaces as a means to generate revenue to maintain these open spaces. He urged the civic body to refrain from allotting any new open spaces under the current 11-month interim policy until a new citizen-friendly policy is framed. 

Highlighting the absence of a comprehensive open spaces policy, Satam said the BMC currently has an interim policy that allows open spaces to be handed over for maintenance to private parties, trusts, and institutions for an 11-month contractual period. "There is a lot of concern in the city regarding open spaces, the potential of them being usurped by vested interests. Some open spaces are permanently converted into clubs/ gymkhana for raking in profits," Satam said in his letter to BMC Commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagrani.

MLA’s Letter to Commissioner

Satam further said that the BMC's attempts at framing an open spaces policy have faced stiff opposition due to its failure of not keeping in mind the public sentiment. "The city is of the view that all open spaces in the city should be compulsorily be maintained only by BMC and not handed over to any private party, trust, organization or institution and BMC can have regulated advertising in these open spaces to generate revenue."

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"Once a trust or private party occupies space, it becomes extremely difficult to evict them and it becomes a strong base for them to continue occupation. It has been observed that some trusts are making applications under 11 month interim policy with vested interests to occupy before policy is finallsed. BMC must ensure that no open space in the city is given under the 11 month interim policy and BMC should maintain all open spaces,"  Satam added.