Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Maharashtra Government and other respondents on the issue of commercialisation of Ambazari Garden in Nagpur.
While hearing a petition filed by Venkatrao Chaudhari and Ashik Dongre, residents of Ambazari Layout, a division bench consisting of Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Vrushali Joshi directed the Principal Secretary of Urban Development Department, Principal Secretary of the Revenue and Forest Department, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Principal Secretary of Irrigation Department, District Collector, Municipal Commissioner, Chairman of Nagpur Improvement Trust, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, M/s. P K Hospitality Services and M. Garuda Amusement Park to file their respective replies within six weeks.
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25 April 2025
According to the petitioners, the State Government transferred 44 acres of land of Ambazari Garden to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) on July 21, 2017 on a 99-year lease for commercial development. The MTDC issued a tender on January 15, 2019. M/s. P. K. Hospitality Services was eligible for the tender and formed a joint venture agreement authorising M/s. Garuda Amusement Park to enter into an agreement with the MTDC.
Accordingly, an agreement was signed between the MTDC and M/s Garuda Amusement Park on November 22, 2019 and the MTDC transferred the land of Ambazari Park to M/s Garuda Amusement Park on November 29, 2019 on a 99-year lease at an annual lease rent of Rs 100 only.
As per the Nagpur city development plan the land was reserved for a public garden but the State Government changed the land use reservation for this land. The state government changed the land use as a tourism development zone and the MTDC was appointed as the planning authority. The urban development department issued an order on April 6, 2023, the petitioners informed.
Petitioners claimed that Ambazari Garden is a Grade- 1 heritage site and therefore permission from the Heritage Committee is necessary for carrying out any development work. After completion of the controversial project there will be immense damage to the environment, the petitioners alleged, adding that the project was also causing a loss of Rs 2,000 crore to the state exchequer.
The contractor demolished Dr. Ambedkar Cultural Bhavan situated in the Ambazari Garden area without permission and the Ambazari Police filed an FIR on May 15, 2023, the petitioners said.
Advocate Tushar Mandlekar represented the petitioners.
