The Mumbai Architects Collective, in a letter addressed to the BMC commissioner on September 24 and signed by 92 architects, planners, and designers, expressed their concern over a troubling trend of appropriating parks and open spaces for infrastructure projects, commercial use, and parking. They emphasized that such actions undermine the ecological, social, and public value of these areas.
In the letter, they conveyed their deep concerns regarding ongoing threats to key public spaces like the Hanging Gardens, the Racecourse, Aarey Forest, the salt pans, and the unfulfilled promises of open spaces along the Coastal Road. They urged the commissioner to build on the solidarity witnessed at Patwardhan Park and to make a lasting commitment that all open spaces in Mumbai would remain open and accessible to the public indefinitely and under public control. They asserted that safeguarding these spaces is crucial for the city's environmental, social, and economic future.
The letter noted that the open spaces along the Mumbai Coastal Road are yet to be developed, with work planned to begin once the road construction is complete. Over the past weekend, BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani joined residents at Bandra's Raosaheb Patwardhan Park to celebrate the decision to scrap plans for an underground parking lot beneath the garden's playground area.
Furthermore, the collective commended the recent efforts by citizens in preserving Patwardhan Park from being converted into a parking lot. They remarked that the solidarity demonstrated by citizens, political representatives, and the BMC in protecting this vital public resource was commendable, reflecting a similar victory at Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu. They highlighted that these successes underscore the critical importance of safeguarding open spaces for public use.
