Yesterday, eleven members from the Shopkeepers Association went to the MMRDA office at Bandra-Kurla Complex to oppose the construction of skywalks, as it affects their business. Instead, they spent last night in jail for obstructing government officials from conducting their duties.u00a0



The shopkeepers' delegation had a meeting with Joint Metropolitan Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to represent people's problem with the skywalks. "We had taken prior appointment, but she refused to meet us. We were later directed by an engineer to meet Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad, as he was in the office," said Tulsidas Rao, a shopkeeper present in the meeting.

Chaos

What happened next, has different versions. Rao said, "We were kept waiting outside Gaikwad's office for 20 minutes. When we were finally called inside, he said shopkeepers were thieves and told us to get out." But the MMRDA says the shopkeepers became rowdy. "I called the police, as they were creating a scene in my office Initially, we spoke to them properly, but then they started dictating terms, asking us to stall all skywalk projects, as it was affecting their business," Gaikwad told MiD DAY. MMRDA officials later called the BKC police.

Dilip Kawatkhar, chief PRO, MMRDA said, "The group started shouting and so we had to call the police. We have filed a case against them under section 353 for disturbing government work."

Viren Shah, chairman of Federation of Retail Traders' Welfare Association, said, "It is sad that being taxpayer we are not allowed to express our views. We went there to represent citizens' problem and instead of listening to us, they arrested us."