Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority

MMRDA

Mahim Nature Park

Slum Redevelopment Authority

Dharavi Redevelopment Authority

Urban Design Research Institute

Bombay Natural History Society

Bombay Environmental Action Group

Ignoring objections of its Forest Minister, the), environmentalists and citizens’ groups, the state government has decided to go ahead with its plan to include the 41-acrein the’s Dharavi Redevelopment Plan.officials on Monday declared that they had received only 18 objections to its proposal to add the nature park in the redevelopment of the sprawling slum. While it looks into the objections raised, the redevelopment authority has parallely initiated the process to make the park a part of Dharavi’s overhaul.Though Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month had assured on the floor of the House that the nature park’s status as an open space will not be touched and it will not be used to enhance Dharavi’s development FSI, the government’s refusal to take it out of the sprawling slum’s redevelopment plan has raised fresh doubts about its motives.The environmentalists fear that the government will either use the nature park to reduce the extent of mandatory open space in Dharavi’s redevelopment plan, or turn it into a private open space, access to which will be controlled by the builders who will bag the contracts to redevelop Dharavi.Nayana Kathpalia, trustee of NAGAR, an NGO that works for preservation of open spaces, fears the nature park’s inclusion in Dharavi’s redevelopment may be used some years later to give it away to builders. “The entire proposal must be scrapped. The Slum Development Authority or the Dharavi Redevelopment Authority must withdraw the modification proposal. Unless that is done, the threat to MNP will remain,” said Kathpalia.Citizens’ group on Monday also criticised the government’s decision to not accept objections online to the government’s move and claimed that this was the reason why so few objections were received. “They talk of digital India and digital Maharashtra but when it comes to such key issues where citizens’ engagement is required, they don’t have anything online. This is just not acceptable. They must re-invite suggestions and objections online,” said Stalin Dayanand, who heads NGO Vanashakti.Among those who have raised objections are MMRDA boss U P S Madan, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests N Vasudevan, Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande and top NGOs like NAGAR,andGovernment officials, meanwhile, explained that the nature park’s inclusion in Dharavi’s redevelopment was only to make the much-delayed project more attractive to builders.Dharavi Redevelopment Project CEO SVR Srinivas said the park’s inclusion in the redevelopment project will not affect the forest land’s status in any way. “In fact, once the nature park is part of the DRP, it will get more protection and its status will be preserved,” Srinivas said. He added that due procedure was being followed so far inviting objections and suggestions was concerned.