MMRDA has shot many letters to civic body but to no avail.
The first ever skywalk in the city at Bandra (east) is serving two purposes. One of being useful to pedestrians who cross over to Kalanagar or Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) from Bandra station and the other of sheltering encroachers under it.
Many people from the nearby Behrampada slums have found a new roof under the 1.3km-long structure after it was constructed. Although the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), which owns the skywalk, has written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) requesting it to get rid of the the encroachment, the civic authority has not yet taken any steps in that regard.
The footpath from Anant Kanekar Marg police beat to the BMC toilet block under the skywalk has been occupied by slum dwellers.
MMRDA did carry out a demolition drive in the area in June this year. “We did remove all the encroachments in June. However, after the massive fire in Behrampada which gutted many shanties in July this year, a lot of slum dwellers have occupied the footpath again. We have time and again asked the BMC to remove them,” said MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar.
According to a source in the authority, after the demolition drive, a number of letters were written by MMRDA to the civic body. “However, the BMC has not taken any action. It is learnt that the BMC had decided to “go slow” on the demolition considering the election code of conduct,” said the source.
Additional municipal commissioner Manish Mhaiskar said that although she was not aware of the encroachment under the skywalk, the demolition drive was an ongoing process. “Barring monsoons, the demolition of unauthorised shantis and encroachments is continuously being carried out by the civic authorities,” said Mhaiskar.
With inputs from Pandurang Mhaske
){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}