DPC: Give us security

"Instead of these grand plans of installing play equipment, the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) should make arrangements for adequate security. We want a gate to be constructed so that unruly elements do not enter the ground,” Pearl Kavasmaneck, who lives on Dr Homavazir Road opposite the Panchgani garden in Dadar Parsi Colony (DPC), told The Times of India (TOI) as reported in its issue of July 25, 2015. She was among the many residents of the DPC who came out on the morning of July 24 to protest against the plans of the BMC to create a recreational area in the Panchgani garden located close to the Five Gardens which has received a recent makeover. Joining the protest were members of the Matunga Youngsters Club who also use the public ground.

"Over the years the park’s condition has deteriorated,” Zareen Engineer, granddaughter of DPC founder Mancherji Joshi who heads the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Residents’ Association acknowledged to TOI. "All we want is a green garden with a few benches, proper lighting and security,” she said. At present the plot has been invaded by drug peddlers and the residents would like the BMC to appoint security guards there. The residents are not in favor of any concretization of the open ground. "We saw what happened to Five Gardens and how it was concretized. We do not want any portion of the recreational garden to be concretized. The people in the area want a lawn inside the park,” Engineer elaborated to TOI.
"We had sought data under the Right to Information Act and found that the garden plot is categorized as a recreational ground as per the Development Plan of the BMC,” mentioned Jennifer Batliwala, another resident who wonders why the BMC is keen on changing the garden from a recreational ground to a playground.
In its "Times View” the newspaper opined: "The BMC should take end users’ opinion into account before embarking on another money-spinning scheme. Public money should not be wasted like this when people themselves don’t appear even remotely interested in the ‘benefits’ of the ‘beautification’ and the installations.”
"The residents want a lawn and their suggestions will be incorporated. We are looking into the matter,” reassured Vijay Hire, superintendent of gardens, as reported by TOI.