Mayor orders demolition of ‘Illegal constructions’ at Mulund sports complex amid scam allegations

Richa PintoMumbai: City mayor Ritu Tawde on Friday morning visited the Kalidas sports complex in Mulund, two days after former MP Kirit Somaiyya alleged major irregularities in the functioning of the Brihanmumbai Kreeda and Lalitkala Pratisthan and claimed that key civic sports complexes under this trust had effectively been “mortgaged” to private contractors through long-term agreements.The allegations pertain to the Kalidas sports complex in Mulund and the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex in Andheri. During her inspection at the Mulund facility, Tawde alleged that large-scale illegal constructions had come up on the premises and blamed the previous ruling party for allowing the violations. “This is a major scam that took place during the tenure of former mayor Kishori Pednekar. An agreement was made with a private company and the local civic officials, who, despite knowing everything, hid the matter from everyone, including local corporators,” Tawde alleged, adding that an FIR should be lodged against the private contractor for the vast nature of illegal construction done.Pednekar, however, has denied all the allegations and said that the trust doesn’t have the mayor alone, but many other civic officials, including the municipal commissioner, are on it.Somaiyya has alleged that the foundation’s original mandate—based on its memorandum of objectives and articles of association—does not permit renting out spaces for wedding ceremonies or commercial event management. Despite this, he claims that contracts linked to private entities, were granted for such purposes.Calling the arrangement “illegal,” Somaiya has alleged that a 15-year contract awarded for wedding and event-related use of civic premises violates the foundational objectives of the trust and amounts to misuse of public assets.He has also raised concerns over the governance of the trust, alleging that board meetings were infrequent and irregular between 2020 and 2026. According to his letter, meetings were held on March 3, 2020; July 1, 2021; July 15, 2021; and later in 2025, with long gaps in between where no meetings were recorded.Another allegation raised by Somaiyya is that the lease of municipal land granted to the trust expired in 2020, and any subsequent transfer or agreement—particularly a 15-year arrangement with private operators—would be “not only illegal but criminal in nature,” according to Somaiya’s wording.(Ends)