The Bombay High Court gave its conditional approval today to the parking of vehicles in demarcated areas at the sprawling Shivaji Park grounds in Central Mumbai for three days during the Ganesh festival.
However, a division bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud asked the police as well as civic authorities to ensure that cricket pitches are not damaged and that the playground is restored to its original glory.
The bench observed that a balance had to be struck between environment and civic issues while considering such a plea.
"There is the problem of space and all safeguards have to be taken in public interest," the court said, hearing a plea filed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) adding that parking is a major problem in that area during immersion of Ganesh idols on festival days and there was no other space except Shivaji Park playground where this facility could be provided.
The court allowed parking of vehicles at Shivaji Park grounds on September 13, 15 and 18 -- the fifth, seventh and tenth day of immersion of Ganpati idols in the sea.
However, the bench asked the Police Commissioner of the city and the Municipal Commissioner to give a separate undertaking that they would earmark the area at Shivaji Park where parking would be allowed for three days of the festival.
Both commissioners have been asked to mention in their undertaking that they would not allow cricket pitches to be damaged and that they would restore the ground within a week.
BMC's counsel S U Kamdar argued that the civic body had floated an e-tender to analyse the traffic situation in order plan alternative arrangements.
He said vehicular traffic during festivals had increased manifold and it was difficult to regulate traffic flow during festivals.
