20 December,2016 03:09 PM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
MMRDA has invited tenders; has assured anti-revamp activists and protesting citizens that nothing else will be touched at a park in Mahim, Mumbai
While plans to revamp the Maharashtra Nature Park in Mahim earlier this year faced huge opposition from the public and green activists, MMRDA has, on a temporary basis, decided to carry out structural repairs to the important education centre building inside the park at a cost of Rs 1 crore.
An official from MMRDA, who did not wish to be named, said, "At present, the current structure of the education centre is in bad shape and requires immediate repair. We have invited tenders for repairs. Those who have been opposing the redevelopment should understand that our aim is to bring as many people as possible to the nature park."
It should be noted that the park redevelopment plan has been facing a lot of opposition from environmentalists for the past few months after news reports had appeared in a leading daily that two top NGOs, one belonging to an industrialist's family, had submitted a redevelopment plan to MMRDA.
The planning authority will be spending R1.2 crore for structural repairs at the Education Centre Building and R31 lakh for repairs on the boundary wall.
MMRDA had clarified earlier that redevelopment did not mean tall buildings would be constructed. "We will be developing structures that are environmentally friendly and it will be done at the present site of the structures," an MMRDA official had said.
