Breach Candy residents to adopt, maintain footpaths adjoining buildings

Breach Candy residents have written to D ward to ask for the revival of an old scheme that allows locals to adopt these

MUMBAI: In a bid to take back control of the footpaths outside their buildings and help the BMC keep them clean and encroachment-free, Breach Candy residents have written to D ward to ask for the revival of an old scheme that allows locals to adopt these footpaths. At least 10 societies are on board, and many more have shown interest.

File photo (Hindustan Times)

Nandini Chabria, a member of the Breach Candy ALM, told HT that the residents wanted this empowerment since the BMC could not be expected to do everything. “There needs to be some community engagement and participation too,” she said. “Which is why when we were reminded of the Saaf Aangan scheme, first introduced to us by D ward’s former assistant commissioner Prashant Gaikwad years ago, we jumped at it.”

Manish Valanju, the current assistant commissioner of D ward, remarked that the residents of Breach Candy were “very proactive” and would constantly approach them for issues like cleanliness. “With our limited manpower, this was not something we could deliver on 24/7,” he said. “Hence, I suggested the Saaf Aangan idea to them. The formal approvals are left, which should be done in a week.”

The ALM will put up posters regarding cleanliness and encroachments, and control spitting, littering and dog poop. For footpaths that don’t abut buildings, it plans to look for sponsors to maintain them. Going further, the plan is to encourage societies to segregate their waste.

“My building has already begun and a few more societies such as Vaibhav, Sea Face Park and Sagar Darshan, all part of the Breach Candy ALM, are on board,” said Chabria. “The watchmen at our gates monitor the space outside for cleanliness; they don’t allow people to spit or encroachments to increase. The vendors and kiosks that have been here for years will be allowed to continue, but their licences will have to be clearly displayed and will be regularly checked. We would also like enough space to be made around them for pedestrians.”

Mohan Thadani, a resident who had walked the entire area in March, documented the many flaws, and sent the report to the BMC to work on, said that Breach Candy’s footpaths were in dire need of an upgrade. “The Coastal Road work had made the area so dusty and there was always some garbage and encroachment,” he said. “Tiles were broken and dislodged, unmaintained. If the footpaths are made better, cleaned up and kept in a good condition, passersby too will not litter on them.”