Misuse Of 12 Parks Of Mumbai Municipal Corporation By Private Organization 

Mumbai, 16th October 2022: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation has recently informed that it has started an investigation into the complaint that 12 parks of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation are being misused by a private organization. Taking cognizance of this, the court ordered the municipal corporation to complete the investigation within four months and submit its interim report.

Under the adoption scheme, these parks were given for development and maintenance. However, it has been alleged in the petition that professional fees were collected using them.

A PIL filed by retired army officer Haresh Gagalani was recently heard before a bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice Madhav Jamdar. The municipal corporation informed the court that Deputy Superintendent of Parks Prashant More will investigate the matter. The court ordered the municipal corporation to complete the inquiry within four months and submit its interim report. The court made it clear that the report recommended action to ensure that the municipal parks scheme is not misused in future.

The Mumbai Municipal Corporation handed over these 12 gardens to the World Renewal Spiritual Trust for development and maintenance. From 1994 to 2002, the Trust was given an annual lease of Rs 1 lakh per park. The trust is in illegal possession of the parks despite the expiry of the agreement. Apart from this, the Trust has built permanent structures on these parks, which are being used for various illegal activities, including fundraising. The petitioners have also alleged that common people are denied entry to these parks.