Declared out! It's Harsh Goenka vs Sachin Tendulkar's 'neighbours'

Jaideep Mehrotra and former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar during the artworkrsquos unveiling at Sasmira junction Worli in June 2014 PicSuresh KarkeraSachin Tendulkar has no home A public artwork on the cricket icon by Worli artist Jaideep Mehrotra commissioned by industrialist and art patron Harsh Goenkarsquos RPG Art Foundation has lost its display spot for the third time in two years After resistance from Bandraiites to its installation RPG is looking for another lsquohomersquoJaideep Mehrotra left and Dilip Vengsarkar unveil the artwork at Sasmira junction WorliThe art installation titled Between the Lines mdash an ode to Mumbairsquos unique ethos and culture and not just the Master Blaster mdash was earlier shunted out of Worli and the Marine Drive promenadeThe artwork is removed from Marine Drive PICSuresh KarkeraUnveiled at a traffic island in 2014 near Sasmira Institute in Worli Tendulkar had a short stay at the crease there owing to lease issues He was moved to the Marine Drive promenade last year That venue too turned out to be temporary Some citizensrsquo groups led by the Nariman Point Churchgate Residents Association objected to the installation on the grounds that it blocked the promenade The sculpture again changed address in June this year with RPG settling for the Carter Road promenade mdash a stones throw from Tendulkarrsquos Perry Cross Road residence mdash subject to the BMC and the Maharashtra Maritime Boardrsquos permissionsThe spot on the Carter Road promenade where the artwork was proposed to be installed PICShadab KhanA la Carter Even as the goahead came through another resistance began brewing The Bandra West Residents Association BWRA opposed the installation again on the grounds of the public walkway being eaten up In a letter signed by Darryl DrsquoMonte president of BWRA to Sharad Ughade assistant municipal commissioner of HWest ward dated October 22 the association made its displeasure in stark clearcut terms ldquohellipBWRA does not agree to this proposal and informed you in so many words in the presence of RPG Foundation representatives Kindly ask them to identify some other area and treat this matter as closedrdquo stated the letterDMonte told midday that the objection is based solely on the lack of space Where will people walk This the promenade is a place for people to walkrdquo He dismissed the rumour that BWRA had asked RPG to pay for maintenance of a part of the promenade where the artwork would be installed That is untrue There is no placeRelegated to warehouseSumeet Chatterjee senior vice president of RPG Brand amp Communications refrained from commenting on the controversy He did however acknowledge that the installation is lying in RPGrsquos Worli warehouse and that the foundation is looking for an alternative sitePointing out that the initiative has the BMCs support he said As a patron of the arts Harsh Goenka wanted his city to be at the forefront of public art in the next decade The public art corridor is his dream of appreciation for public art and stirring up conversations among locals and visitors The art foundation invited leading and upcoming artists to design installations that capture Mumbairsquos unique ethos and cultureKeeping the faithMehrotra is pained at the treatment meted out to his work It has been damaged a little from being uprooted from different locations but there is nothing that canrsquot be fixed When I was commissioned to do it I wanted it to have suitable exposure to the public and believed that it would add to the aesthetic of the place where was installedAlthough hopeful that his labour of love would find a suitable home he said such disputes could prove a dampener for others willing to pursue a public art initiative