Progress shouldn’t come at a cost to citizens

Drowning times at Catholic Gymkhana

This paper reported on a Marine Drive club or gymkhana, becoming a swimkhana, thanks to unceasing rain over the past few days. During COVID times, too, this paper had shown pictures of the turfs of the gymkhanas on the Marine Drive stretch, becoming water bodies, practically no-go zones for all. This report states that the gymkhana has to shut down temporarily as there is a danger of short circuit, and members and their guests cannot access it till it is all clear.

There is a possibility that drainage is blocked because of all the infra work opposite on Marine Drive. This means additional waterlogging as water does not have a chance to flow out. There has been a meeting of officials from different agencies about how to tackle the vexatious problem.

While waterlogging is a serious issue, gymkhana officials have to take decisions like this one has rightly done so, to avert any dangerous situation. It is difficult to tell members that they cannot access the premises, yet, if it is risky this has to be done as has been done so.

This is a larger problem, needing intervention of civic authorities and others. Within, the gymkhanas may have to deploy pumps to pump out water and take measures to keep the space as free as possible so that the water drains out.

The bigger picture though is that the work is continuing and solutions have to be found about drainage. Infra work will not halt, so officials have to work around that to see that the situation does not recur and in fact, is not an ongoing problem till the Coastal Road or Metro work is completed further down the stretch.

While upgrading and making commuting faster, more accessible is now a part of living, we have to also plan and execute so that existing buildings or infra is not adversely affected.