Juhu residents up in arms over Joggers' Park fee
MID-DAY (JAN 2001)
By Skimmy Gupta
'Boycott Joggers Park' will be the slogan at a protest march to be held at Joggers' Park, Juhu, today from 5 pm to 5.30 pm. The protest is against proposed entry fees for access to the park, which is located opposite Juhu Police Station. The fees would be charged beginning January 26.
The park was constructed last March by the Juhu Vile Parle Development (JVPD) Housing Association Ltd, a federation of 14 co-operative housing societies of the JVPD Scheme.
Until now entry was free for all. But now, building landlords and bungalow owners in the 14 societies want entry fees charged, which has evoked great dissent amongst residents. A circular detailing the hike is being distributed by agitators.
There are around 2,000 tenant families residing in the JVPD Scheme. They and hundreds of other families in the vicinity will be directly affected by the hike.
Jayant Savla (61), residing on Road No 4, Juhu Scheme, is distributing circulars along with other senior citizens. He said, "Senior citizens will be most affected. Cars parked on lanes all day make it difficult for us to enjoy a comfortable walk. This park provided a good option. I feel senior citizens who do not have a regular income should be charged a minimum of Re 1, which is just and acceptable. This park gets Rs 50,000 per month from a bank as maintenance charges, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) provides water free of cost."
Kantilal Jangbari, president of the JVPD Tenants and Residents Association, said, "The proposed hike is just too much. Moreover, the fact that bungalow owners are allowed free entry is unacceptable. The management should try and do good for the society by giving concessions to senior citizens, teaching people how to remain fit and healthy instead of cashing in on the only park in the area. The entry fee proposal was sent to the BMC for approval and the fact that it has passed the proposal makes this a protest against the BMC also."
A resident claimed that when tenants had protested against the imposition of the fee in an October meeting of JVPD residents, the bungalow owners had threatened them, asking them to leave the park if they could not pay.
Hemangi Patel, a housewife, said, "I often take my children to the park in the evenings. But this steep charge might reduce my visits. And what if the park management hikes the prices again after a few days. We middle-class people will suffer."
Babubhai Shah, a 67-year-old regular visitor, said, "My morning and evening companion, the park, will now cost me Rs 10 daily. Why should I pay such a high price just to get a breath of fresh air?"
There are those who feel the proposed hike is justified. Radha Choudhary (name changed), an enterpeneur who lives on Road No 4, said, "It is a welcome change. Lately, the park was taking the shape of a public park with every Tom, Dick and Harry walking in. It used to be overcrowded and there were many parking problems. The entry charge structure will solve these problems, keep away people who create a nuisance and the park will sport an elite crowd."
Pricey park
PROPOSED entry charges for the park:
* Free entry to members, that is the families of the building landlords and bungalow owners of the 14 co-operative housing societies that make up the JVPD Housing Association Ltd. Around 700 families fall in this category.
* Rs 5 per person per entry for others.
* A JVPD resident contributing Rs 5,000 as donation will be issued a lifetime pass; outsiders would have to donate Rs 10,000 for a lifetime pass.
* A resident contributing Rs 1,200 as donation would be issued a pass for one year.
Is the proposed entry fee justified?
NO. The park serves as the only relaxation spot for seniors in the area. They cannot walk comfortably and safely on the traffic-infested narrow lanes of Juhu Scheme. I feel they should be given free access to the park.
Sampritlal D Vora, 86
Senior citizen
THE hike is not justified. Moreover, HSBC Bank gives Rs 6 lakh each year for the park s maintenance. The maximum charge for such parks is about Re 1 throughout Mumbai. They are not providing any special facilities for such a high high.
Deepak Shah, 59
Businessman
AN entry fee of Rs 5 per person per entry is unacceptable. With a lack of open spaces and adequate parks, and an increase in traffic and pollution, such parks ought to be made free or a minimal fees should be charged.
Tejas Goradia, 20
Engineering student
This hike is steep. If a family of four goes to the park regularly, then it would turn into an expensive affair. This will definitely reduce people s interest, lessen the crowd and reduce the park s importance. Local residents will be forced to go to distant parks or Juhu Beach, which is free.
Lata S, 52
Dress designer
The hike is unjust and discriminatory. The landlords want to enjoy free access to the park and burden tenants with high charges. This is bound to create dissent among people.
Mohammed Idris Javed, 45
High Court advocate
MID-DAY (JAN 2001)
By Skimmy Gupta
'Boycott Joggers Park' will be the slogan at a protest march to be held at Joggers' Park, Juhu, today from 5 pm to 5.30 pm. The protest is against proposed entry fees for access to the park, which is located opposite Juhu Police Station. The fees would be charged beginning January 26.
The park was constructed last March by the Juhu Vile Parle Development (JVPD) Housing Association Ltd, a federation of 14 co-operative housing societies of the JVPD Scheme.
Until now entry was free for all. But now, building landlords and bungalow owners in the 14 societies want entry fees charged, which has evoked great dissent amongst residents. A circular detailing the hike is being distributed by agitators.
There are around 2,000 tenant families residing in the JVPD Scheme. They and hundreds of other families in the vicinity will be directly affected by the hike.
Jayant Savla (61), residing on Road No 4, Juhu Scheme, is distributing circulars along with other senior citizens. He said, "Senior citizens will be most affected. Cars parked on lanes all day make it difficult for us to enjoy a comfortable walk. This park provided a good option. I feel senior citizens who do not have a regular income should be charged a minimum of Re 1, which is just and acceptable. This park gets Rs 50,000 per month from a bank as maintenance charges, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) provides water free of cost."
Kantilal Jangbari, president of the JVPD Tenants and Residents Association, said, "The proposed hike is just too much. Moreover, the fact that bungalow owners are allowed free entry is unacceptable. The management should try and do good for the society by giving concessions to senior citizens, teaching people how to remain fit and healthy instead of cashing in on the only park in the area. The entry fee proposal was sent to the BMC for approval and the fact that it has passed the proposal makes this a protest against the BMC also."
A resident claimed that when tenants had protested against the imposition of the fee in an October meeting of JVPD residents, the bungalow owners had threatened them, asking them to leave the park if they could not pay.
Hemangi Patel, a housewife, said, "I often take my children to the park in the evenings. But this steep charge might reduce my visits. And what if the park management hikes the prices again after a few days. We middle-class people will suffer."
Babubhai Shah, a 67-year-old regular visitor, said, "My morning and evening companion, the park, will now cost me Rs 10 daily. Why should I pay such a high price just to get a breath of fresh air?"
There are those who feel the proposed hike is justified. Radha Choudhary (name changed), an enterpeneur who lives on Road No 4, said, "It is a welcome change. Lately, the park was taking the shape of a public park with every Tom, Dick and Harry walking in. It used to be overcrowded and there were many parking problems. The entry charge structure will solve these problems, keep away people who create a nuisance and the park will sport an elite crowd."
Pricey park
PROPOSED entry charges for the park:
* Free entry to members, that is the families of the building landlords and bungalow owners of the 14 co-operative housing societies that make up the JVPD Housing Association Ltd. Around 700 families fall in this category.
* Rs 5 per person per entry for others.
* A JVPD resident contributing Rs 5,000 as donation will be issued a lifetime pass; outsiders would have to donate Rs 10,000 for a lifetime pass.
* A resident contributing Rs 1,200 as donation would be issued a pass for one year.
Is the proposed entry fee justified?
NO. The park serves as the only relaxation spot for seniors in the area. They cannot walk comfortably and safely on the traffic-infested narrow lanes of Juhu Scheme. I feel they should be given free access to the park.
Sampritlal D Vora, 86
Senior citizen
THE hike is not justified. Moreover, HSBC Bank gives Rs 6 lakh each year for the park s maintenance. The maximum charge for such parks is about Re 1 throughout Mumbai. They are not providing any special facilities for such a high high.
Deepak Shah, 59
Businessman
AN entry fee of Rs 5 per person per entry is unacceptable. With a lack of open spaces and adequate parks, and an increase in traffic and pollution, such parks ought to be made free or a minimal fees should be charged.
Tejas Goradia, 20
Engineering student
This hike is steep. If a family of four goes to the park regularly, then it would turn into an expensive affair. This will definitely reduce people s interest, lessen the crowd and reduce the park s importance. Local residents will be forced to go to distant parks or Juhu Beach, which is free.
Lata S, 52
Dress designer
The hike is unjust and discriminatory. The landlords want to enjoy free access to the park and burden tenants with high charges. This is bound to create dissent among people.
Mohammed Idris Javed, 45
High Court advocate
Labels: City
posted by Skimmy @ January 12, 2009
1 Comments:
At April 19, 2011 at 9:44 AM ,
Abhishekm said...
The fee structure @ the Joggers Park is perfectly valid. If it was free, people from the neighboruing slums of Nehru Nagar would walk in, which is what sometime happens even now. Now clearly we can afford a Rs 5 fee on a daily basis. These are just some steps to keep the slum-dwellers and other vagrants off the park atleast if not the entire Juhu Scheme.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home