Last week, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC’s) heritage committee decided on this proactive move for recreational grounds and playgrounds in the city based on a comprehensive list drafted and submitted by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Heritage Conservation Society. So, the sprawling grounds at Azad Maidan and Cross Maidan near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Cooperage grounds at Colaba and Shivaji Park at Dadar have all been recommended for a Grade 1 listing. This would mean that no construction could be allowed on these grounds ever.

The Oval Maidan near Churchgate, with a Grade 1 listing, is currently the only open space in the city to have a heritage status. Until the demolition of the Fort in 1860, the Oval Maidan along with Azad Maidan and Cross Maidan were all part of one huge expanse of open ground known as the Esplanade.

In South Mumbai, the gymkhanas along Marine Drive have been proposed as grade II A grounds.

According to the BMC’s heritage committee chief Sharad Upasani, the proposal will have to be approved by the municipal commissioner who has to then conduct a public hearing before these can be notified by the state government. “No permission for a permanent construction can be given on a grade I or grade II A ground. If the BMC is really interested in preserving its open spaces, then officials will approve this proposal,’’ said Upasani. Mumbai already has a worrisome open space ratio of 0.03 acres per 1,000 persons—the Development Plan recommends at least 4 acres of open space per 1,000 persons.

However, heritage committee members are skeptical on whether the BMC and state government, which have time and again stonewalled its recommendations, will take a positive stand on the issue of open spaces. One member pointed out that authorities have allowed structures to come up on Azad Maidan and Shivaji Park, while there are plans to construct a football stadium, clubhouse and multistorey building at Cooperage (currently before the court). “They have allowed grounds to be destroyed... It was the furore over the amendment to the caretaker policy that forced the BMC and government go back on its move or else some more open plots would have been lost,’’ said a member.

Giving open grounds a heritage tag would mean that no private player can take advantage of a clause in the Development Control Regulations that allows them to develop 15 per cent of open grounds as built-up space and 10 per cent as plinth area.

“It is high time that open spaces got due place in the city’s heritage,” said Nayana Kathpalia of the Oval Maidan trust. Kathpalia pointed out that ever since the Oval Maidan got heritage status about 13 years back, except for cricket tents that have to be removed at the end of every day, no structure is allowed on the grounds. ``It is a joy to see thousands of children and office goers use the ground freely every day. Even political rallies and religious functions that are allowed on the other grounds are not permitted at Oval,” she added.

Proposed grades
Grade I
Cross Maidan; Shivaji Park;
Cooperage; Azad Maidan

Grade II A
Colaba Vanashree; Islam Gymkhana ground (Marine Drive); PJ Hindu Gymkhana (Marine Drive); Mantralay Park; Grant Medical College Gymkhana (Marine Drive); Police Gymkhana grounds (Marine Drive); SK Patil Udyan (Charni Road); Durgadevi Udyan (Grant Road);
J Maidan (Maulana Azad Road, Mumbai Central); Baby Garden (Motlabai Street, Grant Road); Joseph Baptista Garden (Mazgaon hill reservoir); BN Maheshwari Udyan (Naigaum) (proposed, yet to be finalised)
Vaidya Garden (Nappu road, Dadar East); Dadkar Garden (LN road, Dadar East); Wadia Park (Parsi Colony, Dadar East); Sane Guruji Park (Sayani Road)

Grade II B
Cricket Club of India (Churchgate)

Not Recommended
Sion Circle Garden (had been proposed by the MMR as a grade III garden); Bandra Gymkhana (had been proposed by the MMR as a grade III garden)