BMC backs down! Bandra & Khar residents win year-long fight against Patwardhan Park parking lot

After over a year of determined protests, the battle led by Bandra and Khar residents against the controversial underground parking lot at Rao Saheb Patwardhan Park has come to an end. On Tuesday, the BMC officially cancelled the project’s tender, following strong local opposition and ongoing legal action.

While a similar parking lot project at Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu was quickly dismissed, Khar and Bandra residents fought for over a year to halt the Patwardhan Park plan.

The project, which aimed to create parking space for 288 cars, faced strong opposition from locals since its announcement in March 2023. Residents argued that the park should remain open and mud-filled rather than cemented over. The protest gained momentum with support from local MLAs, a public interest litigation (PIL) and environmental activists.

Zoru Bhathena, a prominent figure in the protest, expressed gratitude towards the BMC for reconsidering their plans. He emphasised that adding more parking spaces wouldn't solve the area's traffic issues, pointing out that Linking Road already has over 500 unused underground parking spaces.

While the project has been scrapped for now, BMC officials haven't ruled out the possibility of revisiting the issue in the future, stating that residents' views will be considered in any future decisions.