Bombay High Court stays Shivaji Park beautification
By IANSWednesday, April 28, 2010
MUMBAI - The Bombay High Court Wednesday stayed the proposed beautification of the historic Shivaji Park at Dadar in central Mumbai.
The beautification project - planned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) - includes the creation of a large mural, beautification of the ground and creation of public amenities.
A division bench Justice F.I. Rebello and Justice A. Sayed directed the BMC to file a reply by May 5 and stayed the implementation of the project.
The project has become a bone of contention between the Shiv Sena, which rules the BMC, and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) which is opposed to the beautification.
MNS vice president V. Saraswat said that the project is being opposed by the local residents of Dadar and those in the vicinity of Shivaji Park.
“Accordingly, they approached our local legislator Nitin Sardesai with their grievances and a local resident Durgesh Warty filed a public interest litigation in the court,” Saraswat told IANS.
Shivaji Park is famous for political rallies conducted by parties during the assembly and parliament elections. The annual Dassehra rally of Shiv Sena and other major private and public events are also held there.
It is also considered the cradle of Indian cricket with many top cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar, having played there in their younger days.
