Strong resistance from citizens forced the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to cancel the proposed pay-and-park plan outside Bandra's Jogger's Park. The decision came after Bandra West MLA Ashish Shelar intervened.
MLA Shelar met with the civic chief earlier this month and again with local ward officials on August 23 to discuss the matter.
In June, the H West ward of the BMC, which oversees the park, awarded a contract to collect parking charges for vehicles parked outside Jogger's Park, from Navghar building to Goldmist building.
In early July, residents of Bandra, Khar, and Santa Cruz launched a signature campaign against the proposed pay-and-park system outside Jogger's Park (Hrishikesh Mukherjee Park) on Carter Road in Bandra West. The park, a popular spot among locals, attracts a large number of visitors. A large number of residents participated in the campaign, which was submitted to the H West ward of the BMC.
Also Read: Residents of Bandra, Khar, and Santacruz Protest Against Pay-and-Park at Joggers Park
Asif Zakaria, a former corporator from Bandra, explained that the campaign was necessary because no concrete action had been taken to lift the proposed pay-and-park system. “The city is already facing a space crunch. People visit Jogger's Park in large numbers, and imposing a parking charge will deter senior citizens,” Zakaria said.
The civic body had initially decided to collect parking fees of Rs 45 per hour for cars, rising to Rs 155 for 12 hours. For motorbikes, the minimum parking charge was set at Rs 15 for one hour and Rs 70 for 12 hours. The contract was awarded for two months at Rs 131,984.
Despite the BMC awarding the contract to collect parking charges, residents opposed the plan and did not allow the collection to proceed.
On August 5, MLA Shelar met with the municipal commissioner to raise citizens’ concerns. Finally, during a meeting on August 23, the proposed pay-and-park plan was canceled.