E-Paper
Footpath on Pune’s Moledina Road private property, says supermarket located near it
The gate barricading the footpath was found locked last week when a reporter visited the area at around 9.30 am.
Pedestrians commuting in front of Dorabjee’s Supermarket located on Moledina road have expressed disappointment with the barricading of the footpath in front of the mall with gates and a lock.
The gate barricading the footpath was found locked last week when a reporter visited the area at around 9.30 am. On a routine day, the footpath is unavailable to the public as the gate barricading it is locked after 9 pm in the evening when the supermarket downs its shutters.
Pedestrians expressed disappointment that the footpath outside the supermarket had been taken over by the mall for its private purpose when in fact it should have been open for the general public.
“We find it difficult to walk on the road early in the morning and also at night as vehicles, especially buses and cars are driven at high speed. This could result in accidents. The footpath must be opened to the public and the locks must be removed and the iron gates dismantled,” said Rajesh Ghorpade, a senior citizen who is regular to cantonment area.
Jyotsana Maindangikar, another pedestrian said, “Closure of the footpath with locks puts the lives of pedestrians at risk. The PCB must ensure that the footpath outside the supermarket is always available to the general public. It is causing hardships and endangers our lives,” she said.
When asked about the locked footpath, Dorabjee’s supermarket manager Trushant Dengale said, “The space fenced by us belongs to the supermarket and it has been locked for safety purposes. It is opened for the general public during the morning and locked once the mall is close. The actual footpath is outside our fencing and PCB is not constructing the footpath as the road size will be reduced. The area is a private property of the Dorabjee supermarket,” he said.
PCB CEO Amit Kumar said, “The subject land is a private freehold part of the setback area and permission was issued in the past for beautification. The gates are not on the footpath and the supermarket has its legal rights for the same. I got the details checked by the technical staff ,” he said.
