Mohalla committees now full-fledged cultural organisations

Mohalla committees play a very important role in maintaining peace and harmony in the city of Mumbai. The committees were set up after the 1992-93 communal riots; since then, though, their activities have changed drastically.

Earlier the Mohalla committees would conduct meetings with the people and the police, but now their roles have expanded. Mohalla committee members now conduct various workshops, organise cricket matches and take up other social work. "We need to be close to people and for that we need to interact with them on regular basis. Nowadays we conduct cricket matches, poster-making programmes and also take the civic grievances of the people to the authorities," said Ajay Kaul, a mohalla committee member from Andheri (west). Kaul said, "We have heard that the police are going to make youngsters part of the Mohalla committees. We welcome the move, because in the age of internet, they are well placed to respond immediately."

Nandini Thakur, who is associated with the Mohalla Committee Movement Trust that works closely with the police at Khar and Santacruz, said that Mohalla committees serve to brings people and the police together. "We bridge the gap that is there between the police and the people. The committee members are the ones who get the pulse of the situation at the local level and ensure that the situation does not go out of hand," said Thakur.