MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to grant permission for the famed TATA Mumbai Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, 21st January, after setting an interim payments quantum to be made by race organisers Procam International, while the case is argued.
The court said the BMC should grant permission as long as Procam pays Rs 10.5 million – Rs 7.9 million towards land rent and Rs 2.6 million as security deposit – by Monday, 15th January, Indian Express reports.
A Bench led by Justice AS Oka also directed BMC to favourably consider the request made by Procam to put up some stalls for serving water and energy drinks.
The Express report notes that Procam had approached the High Court in September alleging that BMC was demanding exorbitant fees for the marathon. It had sought that the court direct the BMC not to withhold permission and approval citing pending dues. The petition sought permission to hold the one-day event and put up advertising and hoardings for the event in the city for about a week, between January 15 and 21.
Procam claimed that while last year it paid just about Rs 2.6 million to BMC as fees , this year, BMC had directed it to pay Rs 36.6 million towards “land fees, fees for displaying ads and hoardings, and security deposit”.
“While we want permissions for just seven days, the BMC is charging us for the entire month. We are merely trying to organise sports events for the public but the BMC is saying it has a share in our revenues,” Express quotes Procam’s lawyer as having argued.
