Commercial activities that are not permitted under the Urban Development Control Rules will not be allowed in parks, assured Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court.

The assurance was given through an affidavit submitted in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dr Rajesh Swarnakar and a group of residents. The PIL was against a food plaza set up in Veer Savarkar Nagar Park, located on the road from Orange City Hospital Square to Chhatrapati Square.

 

After the NMC submitted its affidavit, the petition was disposed of by Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Vrushali Joshi. Following the court’s strong stance, the illegal food plaza in Savarkar Nagar Park has now been removed.

The affidavit was submitted by Ganesh Rathod, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Garden). In compliance with the High Court’s oral order dated April 8, the Municipal Corporation stated in its affidavit that it will not permit any commercial use in parks that are not allowed under the rules.

 

Furthermore, the NMC clarified that parks and gardens where commercial activities have already been approved will continue to operate only within the limits set by the Unified Promotion Development Control Regulations, 2020.

Adv Tushar Mandlekar appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while Adv Gemini Kasat represented the NMC and Adv Deepak Thakre appeared for the State Government.