Mumbai: Powai residents unite to oppose Brookfield's proposed mall, plan legal action

MUMBAI: Residents of Powai's Hiranandani Gardens met on Sunday morning and decided to move Court to protest against the upcoming mall in place of the current Citipark, a two-storey commercial building.


Canadian realtor Brookfield Properties which has bought over the commercial spaces of this largely residential complex has plans underway to construct a 400% larger commercial complex to house retail, office spaces, eateries and an entertainment zone, including multiplexes.

On Sunday morning, concerned residents, more than 100 of them met to discuss the "destruction and rebuilding of Citipark at Eden Square". From speaking of why they bought a flat in this residential complex, to how changes took place over the years, to the massive deterioration of peace and quiet that had come about in the recent years, residents said they needed to come together and set up an official forum to ensure that their neighbourhood does not see any further degradation in terms of green cover, peace and traffic.

"Citipark was built when the FSI was 1. This means that there is going to be your 400% increase in construction. I have decided to move court to stop the construction of this mall," said activist and local resident Debi Goenka. Citipark commercial building on Central Avenue will be demolished and replaced with a 18 storey, approximately 80 metre tower.

RSS member, author and a Powai Hiranandani resident too, Ratan Sharda added, "The mall already has clearance from the NGT (National Green Tribunal) but the BMC nod is pending, which may come anytime soon. But we are going to face a very difficult time if this is not stopped. It is going to be tough to come out of your buildings they will be no space to walk on the footpaths as Brookfield is already controlling them. The residents will have to come together to fight noise and construction pollution and the congestion."

Industry sources said that a global corporation is on a long term lease till 2027. Brookfield Properties spokesperson said, the company has increased the green cover of Powai by 5% since its acquisition of the Powai assets in 2017-18 and has also invested in public realms such as parks and F&B in Powai

When TOI visited the commercial building, most retail stores had been closed down. A financial institution that filed for bankruptcy occupies the upper floor. Old time resident Rajan Khanna said that residents needed to be awake, aware and not allow this construction to take place. Khanna added that it was important to be cohesive in a "persuasive way" of being "confrontation". Stating a practical problem that would come up if the mall were to be erected, he said, the stretch from one end of the complex to the other end going towards Adi Shankaracharya Marg would be able to hold 150 vehicles if they were lined up and he wondered how thousands of vehicles would be accommodated if the mall, which has sought parking permission of 1027 cars, would come up.

"Will you be able to drive and take your kids to school in time? Will you be able to make it to the hospital in time? Will a fire engine be able to enter the complex and cater to the emergency quickly? The pollution, the traffic, the congestion and the construction are going to change the complex forever," added Goenka.

To that another resident Manoj Jalan hence said, "The solution was to stay together, work with local political leaders and tell them that if they need votes and donation, they need to listen to the demands of residents."

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