Thane’s Kopri police station has been declared dilapidated by the TMC; protectors of the people say they have no choice but to continue here because an alternative space is stuck in bureaucratic wrangle
Owner Manoj Ochani points to the cracks in the wall at the police station
Kopri Police Station, housed on the ground floor in a three-storey building called Dinesh Society, has been deemed ‘dangerous’ or ‘dhokadhaadi’ by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) since 2013. Ironically, the police, protectors of the people themselves are sitting ducks here.
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Manoj Ochani, owner of the building Dinesh Society, said, “This building was constructed by us in the early 1980s. Kopri police station is located on the ground floor. Originally, there were seven galas, which were given out to shops. In 1991, we were requested to give these galas to the police station as there was no chowky in the vicinity. We have undertaken repairs to the building sporadically, but now it is frankly beyond repair. The chowky needs to move out, and the other residents too could move out for the building to go into redevelopment. That is the only way to salvage a very dangerous situation.”
A deep crack in a wall of the building
On a recent visit to the police station, one could see deep cracks at some places inside the station and a beam inside was at an angle. Even to the untrained eye, the building situation looked precarious. A policewoman said wryly, “Have you come to see the state of our police station? Please, please, see how dilapidated it is.”
Another official stated, only half in jest, “We all have our life insurance ready.” Another constable silently pointed to some cracks in the wall.
Rashmi Karandikar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP) Thane HQ said, “I need to check on it,” while S Jaiswal, Thane Municipal Commissioner stated, “There are different categories of dangerous. Only if it falls under C-1 category does it need to be evacuated immediately. I think buildings in the C-1 category have been evacuated.”
There are eight flats in the building. Four flats on the first floor and the second and third floors house two flats each. Residents say they are ready to move out, “tomorrow, but, we need money to rent at another location. If the police chowky moves, we are ready to leave and the builder who takes it for redevelopment can then give us money for rent, till the building is redone.”
Prem Bhaktiani, who has been in the building since the early 1980s says, “The TMC has served notices at least three or four times, as far as I can remember. Look at all the cracks. The tiles in my home protrude from the walls because of the condition of the building. We have also had a ceiling slab fall at least five times. Only God has saved my family and me. I feel sorry for the police working below us.”
Another resident, V Kripalani says, “It is so dangerous. The building has been repaired twice but now it is beyond that. We are ready to move out tomorrow. The chowky needs to move, because if we move and the police station does not, how can a new structure come in its place? Repairs to this building would be akin to giving an old man hip clothes to wear and make him look young.”
Thane Police Commissioner, Paramvir Singh said, “We are looking at some proposals for alternative sites.”
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