Overview
- Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde presented a master plan to merge 125 acres of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse with 170 acres of Coastal Road land into a single 295-acre public park designed by Hafeez Contractor.
- Officials said the park’s surface will remain fully green with only walking paths, racing activity will continue, and portions of the racecourse long limited to a few will open to the public.
- A 10 lakh sq ft underground sports complex is planned beneath the park with international-standard facilities alongside Indian disciplines such as kabaddi and kho-kho.
- Connectivity plans include a 1.2 km underground link to the Coastal Road and the Nehru Science Centre station on Metro Line 3, with a tender issued for Rs 550 crore and parking provisioned for about 1,200 cars and 100 buses.
- The rollout drew attention for its timing just before BMC poll dates, protests and heritage objections remain active, and Shinde also outlined BOT-based recreation and sports projects in Thane including a proposed 260-metre viewing tower.