The residents of Sagar City Complex, which has about 650 flats, say their repeated requests to local representatives and authorities have fallen on deaf ears. Fed up, they plan to hold demonstrations.
Life has turned into a living hell for nearly 2,000 people residing in a huge housing colony on Gilbert Hill's VP Road in Andheri as they grapple with a host of problems, including encorachment, garbage and illegal parking.
The residents of Sagar City Complex, which has about 650 flats, say their repeated requests to local representatives and authorities have fallen on deaf ears. Fed up, they plan to hold demonstrations.
Among the issues that have become the bane of their lives, unauthorised parking of autos give them the maximum trouble. Nearly 200 rickshaws are illegally parked on the road, with the three-wheelers occupying two lanes on each side.
Jameela Tharola, secretary of Sagar City Welfare Association, said the situation is bearable during the day, but it is horribly messed up at night. "It's a mafia that runs this illegal parking business. They collect Rs1,000 per auto towards parking charges for a month. There's also a garage on the same road where they wash autos."
Tharola said this brazen illegality is happening despite the fact that the area is a no parking zone. "There is a signage of 'No parking' too." The residents say due to all the parking and crowd, it takes sometimes 25 minutes to reach Andheri station, which otherwise is a five-minute ride.
Jameela said their association has written several letters to civic officials, the local corporator and MLA Ameet Satam. "We were hoping Satam would help us, though ideally the police are required to crack down on the mafia."
Parag Masurkar, assistant municipal commissioner of K/West ward, said, "It's a traffic-related issue. If they ask us to construct a divider on the road, then we would definitely do it."
Shahnawaz Deria, member of the association, said the authorities should provide a long-term solution. "Last time, I came home at midnight in my car. It took me 15 minutes to negotiate through the road to reach our complex gate. There was no way two cars could pass at the same time."
In case of a fire, the residents say, it would be impossible for the fire brigade to reach the area, which also has two SRA buildings, through the 'shrunk' road. In December 2014, a fire broke out in a building of the complex and it took the fire engines several hours to reach the spot. "If another fire or any other health emergency happens, how will the emergency vehicles reach the complex," asked Taj Khan, another member of the association.
With no help coming from any corner, the residents plan to stage a protest outside local ward office and the Andheri RTO.
MLA Satam said he has been following up on the issue for the past two years. "While action is being taken from time and time, we have not been able to solve the problem completely. I recently had a meeting with traffic and RTO officials. Strict action will be taken in the coming week.
Flash flood of trash
The residents say a garbage bin was removed from the area following their request to corporator Mohsin Haider, but the issue is far from over. With people continuing to dump rubbish and the BMC not clearing it, they say, there is a flash flood of refuse at the spot. The garbage may pose serious health risks, especially during rains, they say.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}