Circus to come back to Mumbai, after twelve years

Mumbai: The once popular form of entertainment ‘circus’ will be back in Mumbai after almost twelve years as the Revenue Department on Monday passed a Government Resolution (GR) allowing a part of Cross Maidan situated near Churchgate station to be used for a commercial purpose such as circus, medical camp, sports activity and cultural activity for 90 days in a year.

As per the GR, the state government has clearly instructed the city collector to raze illegal encroachments if any and hand over the open ground to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for maintenance since the state revenue department has no such mechanism to look after it.

The revenue generated from such commercial activities will be taken by BMC alone and the state will have no right to the revenue earned, states the GR. Avkash Ghodse (65), a resident of Mumbai, expressed his happiness that Mumbai will soon have a circus. “It has been a long time that I have not visited any circus as usually, it is organised in the outskirts of Mumbai, therefore traveling becomes hectic. But now as again with the new resolution, the circus would once again start in the city and I am happy,” he added.