We need to keep promenades free of encroachment

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Bandra residents have sought the intervention of the Mumbai Maritime Board (MMB) and BMC to remove encroachments from the Carter Road promenade, enabling pedestrians and tourists to reclaim the stretch, our report said.

The residents have written letters to the MMB and BMC in February and March, requesting the removal of certain encroachments. There has been a partial response though residents want the high profile stretch completely free, an open space for walkers, joggers and anybody at all who can use this as a recreation space.

Their letters also ask why there is a food plaza only in Bandra, and not other areas such as Worli or Marine Drive. This is not to say that every promenade should be equal and so we must see encroachments on other promenades too! That is not the point. We in fact, must ensure that every promenade is free and open.

It is unfortunate that residents need to rise up and respond to every threat or takeover, alert authorities, invoke Right To Information (RTI) and literally keep vigil.

It is in fact, our local leaders at ward level who need to keep their eyes on the space. Our system should be such that encroachers should not have the temerity to think they can take over and once there for several months and become fixtures, inordinately difficult to remove.

One encroachment then multiplies to many more and we have a significant problem and years of battle. Our elected representatives should be safeguards against this pattern but we see in many instances that citizens need to take that upon themselves.