Late serviceman’s food stall demolished at Chowpatty

The Jai Jawan stall at Girgaum Chowpatty has been demolished.

The high-powered committee (HPC) appointed by the Bombay high court ordered its demolition as it did not comply with the “uniform design” of stalls at the Bhel Plaza. The BMC demolished it last week.

The stall had originally belonged to an ex-serviceman, late Gangaram Dogra. Rendered disabled during the Indo-Pak war of 1965, Dogra was offered a provision store licence at the Chowpatty under the resettlement policy of the ministry of defence. He set up the Jai Jawan stall. Dogra’s sons, Baljit and Lakhbir, took over the stall after his demise.

High court judges had been visiting the chowpatty ever since 28 bhelwallahs moved court after their stalls were demolished in 2001.

The judges felt that a court-appointed HPC should be formed to oversee the improvement and beautification of the Girgaum Chowpatty. Additional municipal commissioner RA Rajeev and Indrani Malkani, from NGO Agni, were among the members appointed to the HPC.

Asked about the demolition of the stall, Malkani said: “Since 2001, various undertakings have been given by the Jai Jawan stall owners, saying that they will comply with the high court order, and rebuild the stall as per the design approved by the court. But they did not keep their commitment.”

Baljeet Dogra said, “We went ahead and built the stall as per the recommended design in 2007, but the HPC said that it did not match the specifications.”