Mumbaikars have demanded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to scrap the giant Ferris wheel project and allocate budget towards clean air. Citizens have launched an online petition demanding that the funds to be spent for the project should be utilised for infrastructure or environmental needs.
The BMC has revived its proposal of setting up the Mumbai Eye, a giant Ferris wheel on line of the London Eye. The project, which is a part of the civic body’s annual budget for the year 2025-26, will be completed through a public-private partnership after finding a suitable location.
While the project has made a buzz among Mumbaikars about the potential new attraction for the city, some citizens have come out to oppose the project demanding clean air in the city. Citizens have launched an online petition demanding the BMC Commissioner to scrap or halt the project and allocate the budget for urgent civic and environmental needs.
The online petition marked to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) along with BMC, has already been signed by more than 2,000 people who support the demands of prioritising the budget towards clean air, fix potholes, improve public transportation and enhance last mile connectivity.
“Mumbai is facing pressing issues like air pollution, floods, traffic congestion and inadequate public infrastructure. The streets are often dug up repeatedly, dust and construction debris is on the rise, exacerbating toxins in the air. Roads are clogged with vehicles, in the face of a broken public transport system. Come monsoon, the city gets inundated with water. And yet, these issues remain unaddressed,” read the petition.
The petition alleged that instead of addressing these concerns, crores of rupees will be diverted towards projects like the giant Ferris wheel that will only serve as a tourist attraction for a handful of the city’s population. The petition has also alleged lack of transparency in the project regarding the land and funds required for the project.
“Despite public outcry on budget priorities, this project, which is likely to take up 2-3 acres of land, is being pushed without public consultation and raises serious concerns about its environmental impact,” read the petition.
