The issue stings Christian community which has been demanding that it be opened to the public
Cement Road, the road near Mannat, actor Shah rukh Khan's bungalow in Bandra, which has been in the news of late for not remaining open to the public, is once again in the limelight.
There is now a proposal to reduce its width from the present 9.15m to 6.15m. This came to light in the monthly H-ward committee meeting when a point of order was raised on the title of the road and the encroachment on it.
When contacted, H/West-ward executive engineer Pramod Vetam confirmed the development. He, however, didn't know the reason for the decision. "The director recently signed the file on reducing the width of the road. The proposal had been put up in 2004. The file has now gone to the legal department for feedback on whether this needs to be sent to the improvements committee or whether the work could be taken up at the director level itself," Vetam told dna.
The issue was raised by Kalina-based corporator Brian Miranda on Wednesday. Miranda wanted to know the status of the road and action taken on the alleged encroachments. He also sought details with respect to the building behind Shah rukh Khan's bungalow.
Members of the Christian community have been agitating demanding that the road be thrown open to the public as that would help pilgrims during Mount Mary festival and such other occasions to reach the church.
The meeting was attended by Brian Miranda, chairperson of the ward committee, Priatama Samant, who recently contested the mayor election, and assistant municipal commissioner of H/West ward, among others.
An engineer in the building proposal department, said while whether to open the road to the public or not was a police matter, the corporation had decided to reduce its width.
"I am new to the subject. I will visit the place on Thursday to figure out the issue," said Samant.
"We suspect Shah rukh Khan built the ramp with the plan to make the space his own," alleged Miranda.
"We have been writing to the corporation asking it to remove the ramp. They haven't done that, but instead have decided to reduce the road's width. This is unacceptable," said Godfrey Pimenta, one of the members of the community, who lead a morcha to the place.
SVR Srinivas, additional municipal commissioner, said he too did not know the reason why the width of the road was being reduced.
Assistant municipal commissioner of H/West ward Prashant Sapkale said: "The matter is with the legal dept. We will take a decision on the matter once it moves from there."
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