Shop squatting on footpath flattened in Andheri

After a shop-like structure was raised, seemingly overnight, on a footpath in Andheri (East), the BMC on Wednesday kicked it sideways following an alert citizen's complaint.

"I was out for my morning walk on Tuesday when I saw that a metal structure, with a shutter and door, had been erected on the pavement of Srinivas Bagarka Marg in JB Nagar," said James John, a local resident and an activist with Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI). "It seemed to be for setting up a shop. I was stunned as it had appeared out of nowhere. It wasn't there till Monday night."

James alerted the civic K-East ward, demanding action under the MRTP Act, and the ward office, in response to his complaint, demolished the structure on Wednesday.

The activist said this is how the city is losing its footpaths. They are raised overnight, and when the authorities try to demolish them, stay orders are obtained, he said.

"Majority of the footpaths have been taken over by commercial structures, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road. They pop up suddenly, especially on weekends when the BMC is not working. If other residents see such a violation, we urge them to report them to the authorities," John said.

A senior official from K-East ward confirmed that the footpath had been cleared.