Mumbai News: Malabar Hill Residents Launch Campaign To Reclaim CRZ Children's Park Plot

Residents of Malabar Hill have launched a campaign to reclaim a one-acre plot, originally reserved for a children's park, which was reclassified for residential use despite being located within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Concerned by this sudden shift in land use, they are investigating how the plot, once designated for public recreation, was re-designated for private development. The residents will decide their next steps based on their findings.

The 4,500 sq.m. plot on Carmichael Road (ML Dahanukar Marg), originally reserved for a children's park in 1991, has faced repeated attempts at dereservation over the past decade. Despite strong opposition from local residents, it was finally dereserved in the Development Plan 2034. The one-acre plot, home to several century-old trees, is now under litigation. Residents claim the BMC failed to pay the required conveyance fee and build the park, leading to the dispute. The land was later sold by its Parsi owners to a real estate firm.

Residents complained that, despite being the designated spot, there is no children's park in the area. Zoru Bhathena, an environmentalist stated, “We are committed to uncovering the full history of this plot and understanding how its status was altered over time. Based on this information, we will strategise our next steps. Given that the plot is located within the CRZ, there are significant legal and environmental implications. We are determined to explore all avenues to find a viable solution.”