Mumbai, July 19 (Gulf News): An open air gym inaugurated by Shiv Sena’s youth wing chief Aaditya Thackeray on the Marine Drive promenade, a heritage precinct, has snowballed into a political battle as the Congress legislator Nitesh Rane has threatened to demolish the gym if the civic administration does not.

Rane, who met municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta, on Friday demanded the removal of the gym as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not given permission to its installation. He also said, “The Marine Drive precincts fall in the coastal regulation zone and therefore there has been a violation of CRZ rules whilst installing this gym.”

He also warned that if the BMC did not remove it within the next few days, he would demolish it himself.

The Nationalist Congress Party, not to be left behind in the controversy, said it has decided to move court against the Shiv Sena for setting up an open gym on the pavement. Both parties say footpaths are meant for pedestrians to walk and there should be no encroachments on it.

Even local residents are opposed to it.

On Wednesday evening two open-air fitness stations — one opposite Kapur Mahal in the municipality’s A ward and another in front of the Taraporewala Aquarium in C ward — installed by actor Dino Morea was inaugurated by Thackeray along with Bollywood star Jacqueline Fernandez with much publicity.

Thackeray even goaded in his Tweet, “Fitness is a must, for all! And access to open air fitness equipment in your daily life is what we try to provide! Now go out! Work out!”

Morea, who had written a letter to the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee in April this year seeking permission to install open-air fitness gyms on Marine Drive, had said he had already installed such open-air fitness gyms in Worli seaface, Shivaji Park and Five Gardens at Wadala.

He had said each of the 10x10 sq ft installation would be an easily removable structure of non-corrosive material and would therefore not damage the promenade.

However, the day after the inauguration, the C-Ward office of the BMC on Thursday pulled down the gym even as civic officials, after learning Thackeray had opened it, put it up all over again. Apparently, the C Ward assistant municipal commissioner had written to the civic chief’s office that no permission was taken from the C-ward office for installation. Shiv Sena, on the other hand, says that all approvals have been sought and that it was only miscommunication on the part of municipal authorities.