To most Arthur Road residents, the presence of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab in the vicinity, and the 24x7 security it entails, are causing grave inconvenience.
Akshay Sonawane does not mind living in a war zone. The five-year-old loves to see the men in uniform, with their AK-47s and high-end pistols, guarding the Arthur Road jail near his home.
But to most Arthur Road residents, the presence of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab in the vicinity, and the 24x7 security it entails, are causing grave inconvenience. Weaving their way in and out of endless barricades and security checks is no fun for office-goers.
Those having shops and other businesses in the area, too, are grumbling as the security blanket has scared customers away.
Kasab’s sentencing is likely to be wrapped up this week. The police and the media can heave a sigh of relief, for a while at least. But it gives the residents no respite.
Kasab is likely to remain in the special cell of the Arthur Road jail until the sentence against him is actually executed, a senior prison official said. The case is expected to run its course through the Bombay high court and the Supreme Court, and it might take a few years to reach the end.
“The cell in which Kasab is currently lodged has been specially designed for him, with highest security arrangements. It is unlikely that he will be lodged in any other prison,” said the jail official.
On Monday, Arthur Road residents were inconvenienced by hundreds of people thronging the area throughout the day. “The crowd, plus the security checks at every nook and corner, made life difficult for us,” Sailesh Dalvi, a resident, said.
Most of the locals, however, admitted that both the crowd and the vehicular traffic were better managed compared to the 1993 serial blasts trial days. “During the 1993 trial, every time a witness, an accused, or their relatives came out of the court, the media went berserk and traffic came to a standstill. This time, the crowd was better managed,” said Ashutosh Kulkarni, a hotel manager.
“It had been much worse when actor Sanjay Dutt came to the court, with thousands lining the road to catch a glimpse of him.”
The tight security cover around the jail has hit local businessmen, particularly small-scale traders, hardest. “All my clients are asked for identity proof, and are often frisked. No wonder I lost out on customers,” Vinod Dalvi, whose medical store is just a couple of lanes away from the prison, said.
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