Breaking political barriers

Members of a housing society in Chembur have won a case against an NCP activist who erected barricades to block the entrance to a building

Residents of Bharat Co-operative Housing Society in Tilak Nagar, Chembur, can finally heave a sigh of relief. After several months of facing inconvenience at the hands of NCP activist and the society’s chairperson, Kumud Jayakar, and her daughter, Poonam, the city civil court came to the rescue of the 42 families residing in the B wing.

The court, on Thursday, passed a restraining order against the Jayakars, ordering them to immediately remove the illegal barricades they had erected to block the entrance of the building.

“The restraining order comes into effect immediately. My clients can now use the said entrance without any interruptions,” said lawyer Anita Trivedi.

Residents claimed that on March 14, while they were at the Bombay High Court for the hearing of a writ filed by them against the BMC for improper supply of water and sewage lines, the Jayakars enclosed the entrance to the B wing with high corrugated iron sheets.

“We were forced to use a narrow passageway which is just three-feet wide. Also, the other entrance is between two other structures which are under construction,” said Sophia Sawant, a resident of the building.

When the society members complained to the police, Poonam allegedly poured kerosene and threatened to immolate herself. When the police refused to help further, the residents approached the city civil court.

However, in the court Kumud claimed that the entrance of the building was in fact commercial premises sold to her daughter by the builder, Paradise and Bhoomi Developers. She said it was never meant to be an entrance.

While using the narrow passageway for nearly eight months was tiresome for most residents, it was particularly difficult for Jyoti Harish, who is physically challenged and walks with the help of crutches. “Even a window is broader than the main entrance,” exclaimed Harish.

“The entrance is too narrow and high for me. Hence, I had to walk round to the A wing and use their entrance. It was an arduous journey for me,” she added.

However, resident Geeta Sunderam was the worst affected. Her husband A Balasunderam’s body could not be brought home from the hospital for the necessary obsequies as the bier could not pass through the narrow entrance.

“I had to take his body to a mortuary and then from there to the crematorium,” said a visibly upset Geeta. “Even when he was to be taken to the hospital, the cardiac ambulance could not reach our entrance. My husband was unconscious and had to be carried on a chair via the adjacent building. We wasted crucial four to five minutes,” she added.