Bombay High Court tells Kala Ghoda fest organisers to approach museum for space

The Bombay high court on Thursday suggested to the Kala Ghoda Association, which organises the Kala Ghoda Festival, to approach the director of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja Vastu Sanghralay seeking space in its premises to hold the festival. The festival is scheduled to be held in February.

A division bench of justice VM Kanade and justice Revati Mohite Dhere said: "Go to him with a reasonable demand and he might consider the same." The court also directed the association to hold a meeting with the police and local residents to amicably settle the concerns raised by them.

"Try to resolve the issues amicably so far as the grievances are concerned, of which they have complained for 16 years. People of Mumbai are generally resilient," the bench said. The joint meeting has to be held on December 20, after which they have to come back to the court with its outcome. And if the issues are not resolved then the court would hear the matter again on December 22.

The observations were made during the hearing of a petition filed by local resident Berges Malu complaining about the nuisance and safety risks faced by those living in the vicinity during the festival venue.

A monitoring committee appointed by the HC to review the festival had earlier raised the security and public order issues — like traffic, cleanliness and hygiene — in addition to other problems faced by residents.