Theme parks in selective wards in Mumbai, rues Congress

MUMBAI: Two days after TOI reported on civic authorities’ plan to develop four theme-based recreational grounds in the city, Congress corporator from Kalina Tulip Miranda on Thursday took strong objection to it.
Miranda said that theme- based gardens have been chosen specifically in wards represented by corporators from the ruling party in the BMC. “I have been personally following up for the revamp of the Kaka Joseph Baptista maidan in the past two years which has a pond that requires urgent restoration.The answer to this has only been the existing paucity of funds and that the same cannot be done at this juncture. The visits made by senior civic officials have also borne no result at all,” said Miranda.

Miranda said that the Kaka Baptista maidan was built on a dumping ground and happens to be the only open space in the area. “Therefore it is even more important that the BMC looks at revamping it but it has continued turning a blind eye to it,” said Miranda.
Recently a barefoot meditation park, science themed park, traffic based theme park and multipurpose sports facility have been proposed in Mumbai at four different recreational grounds.
Civic officials they said that the selection of the gardens was done by the district Planning Development Committee (DPDC. “We are only the executing agency and have no role in the selection process,” said the official.
The 300-year-old Kalina talao, once a natural water reservoir, had been encroached on in the past years, and it housed at least 200 shanties till the year 2014. It was revived and turned into a garden with walkways and sports facilities after almost a two year struggle by locals. The pond played a key role in the East Indian wedding tradition called ‘Umbracha Pani’.