This means that around 644 acres of land — the size of 90 Oval maidans — planned to be handed over to private organisations under both policies, will now stay open until the state government arrives at a final conclusion on the policy for developing the city’s open spaces.

The directions were issued last week by the state government at a high-level meeting with BMC officials. State Urban Development Department secretary T C Benjamin who was present at the meeting said the stay on the ‘caretaker policy’ will therefore continue.

The directions state that RG / PG plots over 15,000 sq metres in area — these had been proposed to be handed over under the caretaker policy — should neither be given for adoption nor under the caretaker policy. So, only smaller plots reserved for gardens and parks will be let out for adoption.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) R A Rajeev said: “We have been given orders from the ‘highest level’ of the state government that large open plots that were earlier a part of the caretaker policy should not even be put up for adoption.” He added that these would be developed by the BMC on its own. “We are in the process of appointing gardening contractors in wards,” he said.

In November 2007, following protests from citizens and political parties, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had stayed the civic body’s ‘caretaker policy’ under which plots given to private institutions can be constructed upon for building clubs, gymkhanas, restaurants and bars. The state government had also asked the civic body to submit a report explaining why “despite having a budget”, the BMC is unable to protect open spaces.