Civic body wants Maharashtra to decide on racecourse lease

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wants the state government to take a decision on the Mahalaxmi racecourse lease, which expires on May 31.
With the debate on whether or not to open up the racecourse for public use intensifying, the civic administration, which had found itself in a tight corner, has now put the ball in the government’s court.
To buttress its argument that the government is the final authority to take the decision, the BMC, in its letter to the urban development department, has pointed out a provision in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act which states that the land will vest with the state upon expiry of lease.
The BMC’s political leadership has demanded termination of the lease and conversion of the land into a theme park.
With the exception of the Congress, all group leaders in the BMC have backed the proposal for a theme park on the land. They have argued that if the government does not allow the park on its land, it should be developed on municipal land, which makes for the remaining 30% portion of the racecourse.
On Wednesday, mayor Sunil Prabhu claimed that the BMC had already initiated the process to take its land back. “We will build a theme park which can be used by common citizens,” said Prabhu. But officials said a bifurcation of the land was not practical.
The BMC had earlier asked the state government if the revised policy for leased lands would be applicable to plots like the racecourse, which falls in a specific category of leased plots. Sources said the revenue department is of the opinion that its leased lands policy could not be extended to such lands.
(With inputs from Bhavika Jain)