Nagpur: In response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dr. Rajesh Swarnkar and six other local residents regarding unauthorized construction on land reserved for a garden in the approved layout of Savarkar Nagar, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has assured the High Court that there will be no commercial exploitation of public gardens in the city.
During the hearing held on Wednesday, the Garden Department’s Deputy Commissioner, Ganesh Rathod, submitted an affidavit before the High Court on behalf of the NMC. The affidavit clearly stated that under no circumstances would the civic body permit any commercial use of garden spaces that violate the city’s development control regulations. Following this assurance, the High Court disposed of the petition.
Gold Rate
24 April 2025
Advocate Tushar Mandalekar represented the petitioners in court.
Affidavit Highlights NMC’s Commitment to Protecting Gardens
In the affidavit, Deputy Commissioner Rathod affirmed that the Nagpur Municipal Corporation would not allow any economic activity in its gardens and parks beyond the permissible limits defined by the Development Control Regulations (DCR), 2020. Where commercial activities are allowed in garden spaces, they will strictly adhere to the DCR’s permitted limits.
During the previous hearing, Advocate Mandalekar had presented photographs showing the removal of iron pipes and tin sheets used for a food plaza in the garden. However, cement platforms and other structures remained intact, despite the court’s directive for their removal.
Garden to be Restored to Original State
Previously, the lawyer representing the NMC had stated that the civic body is committed to its responsibility towards garden development and will fulfill this duty entirely. Not only will illegal constructions be removed, but the garden will also be restored to its original condition and maintained thereafter.
Advocate Mandalekar reiterated that while some unauthorized structures had been removed, complete restoration of the garden is still pending. The court, after reviewing submitted photos, noted that if the cement platform for the food plaza had been constructed by private operators, it must be dismantled.
The court emphasized that it does not matter whether the garden was developed by NMC or NIT; since it has now been handed over to the NMC, the responsibility for restoring and maintaining it lies entirely with the civic body.
