A few club members can’t decide the fate of racecourse, says former corporator

Mumbai: After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) managed to stake claim over 120 acres of Mahalaxmi racecourse land on Tuesday, former corporator Makarand Narwekar dashed off a letter to the civic body on Wednesday questioning the proposed development on the land pocket.
Narwekar argued that only 540 of the 1,718 members of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) voted in favour of the plan, which does not translate as the voice of all Mumbaikars.
His other contention is that open spaces maintained by BMC are not properly secured, evidenced by encroachments. “If RWITC is not interested in keeping this land, any other club can come forward to maintain it,” he said.
As citizens are equal stakeholders in the governance, he said, a high-powered committee (HPC) be formed to ensure swift implementation of the plan to ensure the redevelopment is not embroiled in litigation.
“School children are taught polo and horse riding here, which happens in no other city in Maharashtra. The BMC should clear the public’s concerns. It should act as an auditor of open space and not owner. There can’t be a better use of this space other than what’s happening right now,” said Narwekar.