MUMBAI: Even as Bandraites have been demonstrating against the proposed conversion of Neville D’Souza sports ground at Reclamation into a convention centre, a similar fear has gripped residents of Pali Village in the same suburb.Citizens have questioned ongoing construction work on a large plot owned by the Collectorate, which has been an open playground since decades.A private NGO is building a sports facility on the site.As per documents available in the Suburban Collector’s office, the Collectorate has allocated a sum of Rs 6 crore for the construction of a “welfare centre and healthcare utility” under the Annual District Development Plan.The work is being undertaken by an NGO named I Love Mumbai Foundation (unrelated to Nana Chudasama’s NGO bearing a similar name).Shiv Sena politician Rahool Kanal, who is president of this foundation as well as the Pickleball Association of Maharashtra, said he is building a multi-sport cricket turf and pickleball court on this ground.“It will be open for local players. The land ownership will remain with the state. There is no change of user or ownership. There will be no construction beyond permissible limits. We will levy a nominal fee of Rs 10 or so just to cover maintenance costs, like public toilets charge,” he said.City and Suburban Collectors are empowered to distribute funds for projects under the Annual District Development Plan, including those recommended by MLAs and MPs.Rahool Kanal had made a representation to local MLA Ashish Shelar requesting allocation of funds for welfare activity through this plan, which was forwarded to the Suburban Collectorate and approved.The work order issued by Mhada wrongly designates Rahool Kanal as corporator.However Bandra activists resent the move. They say in the 1950s, this ground was leased to St Anthony High School, which closed in 2011 but had remained open to all.In 2012, local activists Colman Pereira and Daphne Warapen were among four people who had campaigned against alleged encroachment of this plot, CTS F-513A and B, by a private club.“It was an open playground where local boys played since the 1950s. We won appeals to various authorities against this club which had built its own tennis court. We succeeded in getting the tennis court demolished,” said Pereira.Their later appeals were upheld by the then Collector, followed by the additional commissioner Konkan Division court as well as the Bombay High Court.This has made them question the legal and moral propriety of the current initiative.“How can the present Collector overturn the order of his own predecessor, and the high court, which declares the site as a free open playground for the public? It can only be done after going in appeal against the HC order,” Pereira said.“This is the place where local boys have been playing since decades. They cannot afford to spend thousands of rupees to join private clubs in Bandra.”Warapen added that the project appears massive given that its completion date is 2027.The Annual District Development Plan is a routine exercise by District Planning Committee and district Collectors.Funds are directed towards upgrading primary health centres into “smart” centres, converting civic schools into “smart schools,” and constructing public halls and social welfare centres across Mumbai.
