Residents are set to hold a signature campaign against the proposed pay-and-park system outside Joggers Park, also known as Hrishikesh Mukherjee Park, on Carter Road in Bandra West. The park is popular among residents and receives a large number of visitors.
Last month, the H West ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), under whose jurisdiction the park falls, awarded a contract to collect parking charges for vehicles outside Joggers Park, from Navghar building to Goldmist building.
Asif Zakaria, a former corporator from Bandra, expressed strong opposition to the parking charges from local citizens. “Joggers Park is a BMC park visited by local citizens in large numbers daily. We have met with the local ward official and requested the cancellation of the plan to collect parking charges,” Zakaria said. He added that a meeting would be held on Thursday to decide the future course of action, which may include a signature campaign to submit to the BMC.
In 2017, the BMC took control of Joggers Park and removed the entry fee to promote the use of open spaces. “The stretch designated for pay-and-park is hardly 100 meters, and the civic body will not generate significant revenue. This will create problems for senior citizens who come by their own vehicles,” Zakaria added.
The civic body has set parking fees at Rs 45 for parking a car for an hour, rising to Rs 155 for 12 hours. Similarly, the minimum parking charge for a motorbike is Rs 15 for one hour and Rs 70 for 12 hours.
Zakaria pointed out that many visitors are senior citizens who travel from distant areas such as Khar and Santacruz to participate in laughter and yoga clubs. “In a space-crunched city like Mumbai, large open spaces are essential for residents' quality of life and well-being. This is why the BMC has made all open spaces free of charge,” said a resident. They added that while the BMC promotes the use of open spaces to improve health and well-being by making them free of cost, it is now planning to impose exorbitant parking charges.