04 February,2026 07:57 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika Gondhalekar
The point from where heavy vehicles venture onto the Development Plan road in Sion
Residents of GTB Nagar in Sion have raised serious concerns over the deteriorating condition of a narrow Development Plan (DP) road, allegedly damaged due to the ongoing redevelopment work on two plots, numbered 88 and 89, at CGS Colony. The road, which serves as a crucial access route to the nearby railway station and is heavily used by school-going children and residents, has suffered extensive damage from the continuous movement of heavy construction vehicles.
"The developer has been transporting construction materials and machinery in large trucks via the DP road daily, resulting in deep potholes, uneven surfaces, and dust pollution, making the road unsafe for us. Even the water pipelines that were underneath have been destroyed, due to which water keeps flowing on the road, making the stretch muddy and difficult to walk on, while water is also being wasted. Also, since the road, which is used by all residents of our and neighbouring areas, has now become a dangerous route to take, people use our building premises to pass through, which also disturbs the residents of our building," said Ramesh Chavria, a resident of the Raj Heights building, which is separated from the redevelopment site by the DP road.
Residents allege that water pipelines that were underneath have been destroyed, leading to leakage. PICS/RITIKA GONDHALEKAR
Parents of those studying in CBM High School, in particular, have expressed anxiety over the safety of students who are forced to navigate the damaged stretch. "Earlier, my son and his friend would go to and return from school on their own. But now, we have to ensure that a parent accompanies them, as huge vehicles carrying debris and other materials pass continuously," said Irfan Ali Shaikh whose son studies in the school.
Frustrated with the situation, Chavria, on behalf of all affected residents, lodged a written complaint in April 2025 seeking details of permission provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to the developer to use the DP road to transport construction materials. Responding to the letter, the BMC, two months later, stated that it had not granted any such permission. "It is to inform you that this office has not given any permission to M/s. AB Builders & Developers (Trans India) about the access and exits [sic]," reads the response letter, a copy of which is in mid-day's possession.
This clarification has intensified residents' anger, as the developer continues to use the road. "What is alarming is that even after the BMC's clear statement, there has been no on-ground action. We even wrote a letter to the civic body in December 2025, mentioning the hardships that we were facing as the developer was illegally using this road, putting us at risk daily. However, we haven't received a response, and neither has our problem been solved," said Mandeep Singh, another resident.
Residents have also alleged that the developer had shown that the DP Road was 9.15 metres in width, based on which they had received a letter of intent to develop the project. "Anyone can see that the width of the road is definitely not 9.15 metres, even without measuring it. It's a small road that pedestrians have been using for the past 50 years. Even a small hatchback four-wheeler could not make its way through the entire stretch. The developer has carried out demolitions at one end of the road to make it wide enough for his vehicles to reach the site. Additionally, at the other end of the road, he has placed two iron rods to ensure that not even two-wheelers can pass through," said Sabdar Khan, a parent.
Raghu Devendran, an operations manager at the site, told mid-day, "We have all the necessary permissions to use the road and also to redevelop these plots. These residents, many of whom have houses in these two plots, have been creating a nuisance since the time we began work, despite taking money from us. All our papers are with our liaison manager, Nelson Nilgiri, and we can produce them in front of any authority. Neither Nilgiri nor F North ward officials responded to calls made by mid-day before press time.
