The Shiv Sena’s oft-repeated promise to develop a theme park at Mahalaxmi Racecourse found no mention in Monday’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budget.
The party has consistently championed the idea of converting the Mahalaxmi Racecourse into a public park on the lines of Central Park in New York or Hyde Park in London. The 226-acre racecourse, which is run by the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), is jointly owned by State government and BMC. The land was leased to RWITC for 99 years, and the lease ended in 2013. Following this, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray met the then chief minister to demand the theme park.
In January 2016, Yuva Sena president Aaditya Thackeray met the CM and tweeted, “I also spoke about the Mumbai park we proposed three years ago to the then CM. 226 acres in the heart of Mumbai can be a beautiful open space. Like most cities around the world, the racecourse can be given space outside Mumbai. Global competition for best open space design can be taken. The lease has ended after 99 years and it is a flat, open land. Can be made into open space for walks, runs, flower beds, music concerts, etc.”
Although there has been no mention of the theme park in the past three annual budgets, in 2016, the Shiv Sena-led Standing Committee had demanded an allocation of ₹5 crore for the theme park. In 2017, the State government issued a Government Resolution by which it vested all rights to take a decision on renewing the lease of the property, along with rent and other developmental aspects, with itself.
Asked about the omission of the issue this year’s as well, standing committee chairman and Sena corporator Yashwant Jadhav said, “We will follow this up with the State government as it also has a share in the land. In that case, we will demand that the park be built on BMC land at least… We will ask for an amendment in the BMC budget as per the standing committee’s right.”
Plea to release funds
Commenting on the matter, Aaditya Thackeray said, “Our idea of the racecourse and the East Coast involves assistance from the State government. Two-thirds of the land comes under the collector and the government has to release it. Plus that is our manifesto for the State. From [whatever we promised as part of the] BMC manifesto, everything is in the budget since last year. Work [on all remaining projects] has started.”