Residents say cars parked outside Amar juice centre late at night cause traffic snarls; owner says eatery has the requisite permits to operate
In some more bad news for Vile Parle’s popular Amar juice centre, a late-night hangout for youngsters and locals, Juhu residents have decided to lead a morcha to the eatery to protest the nuisance created by the street-side fast food joint. The decision to agitate comes after a recent meeting of members of the Juhu Citizen Welfare Group.
Big block: Some Juhu residents have been complaining against the juice centre for many years. Pic/Satyajit Desai
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Said Ashutosh Bhalchandra Save, Juhu resident, “Amar juice centre has been a traffic menace on the adjacent Gulmohar Road near Cooper hospital for the past years. This food joint has encroached upon the road by making sitting arrangements for patrons to sit and eat on the road itself. They even serve customers in their cars who illegally park on the road. The road is already narrow because of other parked vehicles.”
Adding to Save’s sentiments, Ashok Pandit, director of the group, said, “For more than eight years, we have been fighting against this illegal joint. But no stern action has been taken against it. It is unfortunate that some residents go and eat there and encourage the owners to do business. They shut the eatery only after cops come or continue running until late.”
Pandit added, “Since the eatery is open until late, antisocial elements hang around in the area. We are planning to take a morcha against the juice center. It is high time the authorities do something.” Dilip Patel, the local corporator who attended the meeting, said, “I have written to the departments concerned to visit the site immediately. I have also called for a meeting in a week’s time. The course of action will be decided accordingly.”
Official speaks
Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Zone IV) Ashok Khaire said, “Amar juice centre is authorised to run the outlet on certain conditions. We will check if they are found violating the conditions.”u00a0
“We have already initiated action against the juice center. During the day, we make sure that there is no illegal parking, and take stern action against any. We have sought help of local police, who are stationed near the eatery in the night,” said R B Patil, police inspector, D N Nagar (traffic). u00a0
The other side
“We have all the required licences to operate. Since we shifted from the junction near Cooper hospital in 2010, traffic issues have been solved. I don’t know why we are being targeted. There are so many joints in and across Juhu who serve food at night and serve customers in their cars. This is nothing but pinpointing and creating trouble for us,” said Tushar Joshi, owner, Amar Juice Centre.
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