Though the proposal for a landscaped garden at Shivaji Park in memory of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has been given the green signal by political parties in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the project is yet to get legal clearance. This is expected to take a couple of days.
Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte on Wednesday told The Hindu that the civic body has asked its officers to check the legalities of the proposal.
“We have asked the officers to provide the estimated cost of the garden. We will ask the garden department to go ahead with the project, only after we scrutinise each and every aspect of the report,” said Mr. Kunte.
According to sources in the civic body, the Estate department of the BMC has transferred the 800 sq.ft. plot in Shivaji Park to the gardens department, which will be constructing the memorial. “We cannot initiate the building process until we get a legal clearance,” said an official.
The Sena, however, cleared the proposed plot for the garden on Wednesday and held a puja to purify the area. “It is a ritual performed by all Hindus. It was to make this place pure, since this garden will be built in the memory of Balasaheb,” said party leader Chhotu Sawant.
The BMC on late Wednesday night, barricaded the proposed garden area at the Shivaji Park with the help of bamboo and metal shade.
