Mumbai: Signature campaign to ‘reclaim’ open spaces from 5-star hotels near airport

Residents of K-East ward take part in the signature campaign on Sunday

Alleging that five-star hotels near the airport have taken over public spaces, BJP corporator Abhijeet Samant started a signature campaign in K-East ward, which cover Andheri East, on Sunday. It will continue for a week.

Citing the Development Plant, Samant said about 1 lakh square feet of open space is supposed to be public gardens in the ward but they are being privately used by five-star hotels. He said they will hand over the signatures to the BMC commissioner.

Samant said hotels were required to develop 10 per cent of their plots as public recreation places. He said he had taken up this alleged usurping of public space with the BMC's improvement committee in January 2020 and had met the then civic chief and submitted a letter seeking intervention.

"It was only after my appeal and objections that the administration realised they had to take action. But even that was half-hearted and was not done properly. Due to this delay, the citizens of Marol, especially children and senior citizens, are deprived of parks and open spaces," Samant.