Another Public Space Reclaimed...On Dussehra!

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), just a few months back, had come down heavily on shopkeepers who encroach upon footpath in front of their shops. The BMC had even stated back then that shops making alteration on the footpath will have to pay for the restoration work. Minor changes like having a staircase encroaching on the pavement would be demolished by the BMC but major structural changes would have to be paid for by the defaulting shopkeeper.

But it isn’t just shopkeepers and eateries that take over the footpath or other public property, builders and housing societies are known indulge in such practices as well. Extending the boundary walls of the building complex and taking over the adjacent footpath or road are common occurrences. But, a crackdown on such housing societies or builder group is not always an easy thing. The encroachment is done usually so discreetly that it isn't usually noticeable or sometime the civic body looks the other way while the housing society is free to encroach upon.

This attitude of the BMC to look the other way while the housing societies encroach upon is not a new thing. BMC is known to let illegal constructions take place and take action only when there is a complaint. And this blatant ‘ignorance’ got so out of hand at one point that the High Court had to ask the BMC to change its attitude. Last year, around the same time, the High Court pulled up the BMC for its “pick-and-choose” policy on initiating action against illegal structures.

Frustrated by a similar situation in downtown Mumbai, Aadhar Pratishthan’s President, Krishna Pawle had dashed off a letter to the A Ward of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation about encroachments by a DSK Durga Mata Tower and Fitness Five Club in Colaba. In his letter, Pawle spoke of the public garden that had been taken over by the DSK Durga Mata Tower and Fitness Five Club.
He alleged the DSK Durga Mata Tower and Fitness Five Club had kept a security guard at the entry gate and the general public was prohibited from entering the garden and when asked, the guard is quick to point out that the property was a private property.

The letter states that even though there is a board mentioned ‘the said piece of land is reserved as R.G. and is open for public,’ the board is not put in a manner where general public can see. It has been placed behind bamboo bushes thereby preventing public from reading it.

The BMC following the complaint and a site visit to the venue wrote back saying that the "objections raised by complainant were agreeable," and instructed the Chairman / Secretary of DSK Durgamata Tower Coop Housing Society Ltd to open the said R.G for general public in unrestricted by disciplined manner and display the board showing timings at a conspicuous location and send compliance report to this office within a period of 15 days from receipt of the letter failing which action deemed fit would be initiated.

Krishna Pawle with members of the public at large entered the Recreation Ground on Dussehra - October 13th in a symbolic win of the people to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
Here go the letters of correspondence pasted below...please click, download, read and distribute freely!