Civic body collects `5 lakh fine from illegal garages
After receiving several complaints from residents, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has come down heavily on garages in Sion-Koliwada area.
After receiving several complaints from residents, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has come down heavily on garages in Sion-Koliwada area.
In the past fortnight, civic body officials have collected over Rs5 lakh fine from unauthorised garage operators. There are 120 shops of vehicle spare parts and over 700 mechanics working in these open garages.
On Thursday, member of legislative council from the Nationalist Congress Party Kiran Pawaskar took over 100 mechanics, garage and shop owners to the F-north ward office at Matunga and insisted that the assistant commissioner stop taking action.
Irked with the move, residents are now planning to start a movement against him. “These garages block almost 80% of the road. It also causes noise and air pollution,” said a resident of the area, who do not wish to be named.
When asked about meeting with Pawaskar, Sanjay Kurhade, assistant commissioner, F-north ward, said, “Many such delegations come to meet us and put forth their demands. But an unauthorised structure will not be treated as an authorised one. The action will continues,” he said.
“We have coordinated with the traffic police department and joint action has been taken against these unauthorised garage operators. We will not allow them to repair vehicles on the road,” he added.
Congress corporator Ravi Raja supported the civic body’s move. “Action should be taken against the garages and their presence should not be justified,” said Raja, who resides in the area.
Pawaskar said, “I know resident get irritated with the noise. But we have assured the BMC officials that they[mechanics] will park the vehicles in a single lane and won’t make noise.” Pawaskar suggested that the garages be shifted Govandi or Mankhurd.