Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aaditya Thackeray has claimed that a builder close to the state government is forcing the management of Mahalaxmi Racecourse to let him develop part of its land. On the other hand, a proposal by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) asking for the state-owned racecourse land to develop a theme park has been pending with the government for 10 years.
Aaditya claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that a builder close to the current state government threatened the management of Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with him and allow him to develop a hotel and commercial space on the racecourse land.
“Earlier, the state government wanted to shift the racecourse to Mulund to benefit a builder and now a builder himself is leading the talks. I wonder if there is any reason for any of us to believe that this illegal regime is for the common people,” Aaditya said in his post. “Imagine what will happen to our Mumbai, when these builders will sell our 226-acre open space to other builders. We as Mumbaikars must stand up to these people who want to loot our city,” Aaditya’s post read.
mid-day was unable to reach the management of the RWITC for comment. The BMC leased the racecourse plot to the RWITC in 1914 for 80 years. After the lease ended in 1994, the lease was renewed until 2013. Then BMC’s general body decided to end the arrangement with the turf club and develop a theme park on the plot. Accordingly, it sent a proposal to the state government asking for the racecourse land.
The total area of the racecourse is 8.55 lakh square metres, out of which 5.96 lakh square metres belong to the state government and the remaining 2.59 lakh square metres belong to the BMC.
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