Click to play videoMumbai: First it was the Maharashtra environment minister who wanted to raze the mangroves across Mumbai to build malls. Now it’s the Mumbai mayor Shubha Raul who is suggesting that the green race-course area of the city should be opened up for construction.
Mahalaxmi racecourse with more than 220 acres of greenery is one of the last stretches of open spaces in the heart of Mumbai. But, it's under threat, this time, from the mayor who is asking for racecourse to be converted into a parking lot.
"This place is not open to the common people, as of now. They are not allowed to enter the racecourse. There should be a parking lot instead at the place," said Raul.
The mayor has also said the racecourse should pay much more than the Rs 60 lakhs that it currently pays the corporation every year in fees.
However, what Madam Mayor doesn’t knows is that the racecourse, is frequented by a large number of people, including the hundreds of joggers who frequent the tracks daily.
Racecource sources also say the Mayor has got some other facts wrong as well. Besides the racecourse being open too all for free, it pays Rs 25 crore every year in taxes to the state government, in addition to the Rs 60 lakhs it pays the municipal corporation. And at Rs 12 a ticket during racing season, 80 percent of its audience is the general public.
“There is a public garden as well, which is free access. Next, they'll be requisitioning cricket grounds and playgrounds, where will it end?” Vivek Jain, Committee Member, Royal Western India Turf Club said.
The mayor says she will be calling a meeting in the next week to look into whether the Turf club's lease should be renewed at all, when it expires in 2013.
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