East Indian community in Mumbai gives names to lanes for appearance in DP 2034

Panchayat members consulted before naming the lanes Holy Cross and St Anthony in Kanjur gaothan

In order to protect their history and culture, the East Indian community in Kanjur village named two of its lanes in the gaothan on Sunday as Holy Cross and St Anthony.

Residents celebrate the naming of the Holy Cross Lane in Kanjur gaothan on Sunday. (HT)

While the community has been demanding demarcation for gaothans for more than a year now, it followed the legal procedure to name these lanes so it appears in the Development Plan 2034.

“Earlier, these lanes had no names. But after consulting members of the gaothan, we decided that the upper pakhadi (area) be named Holy Cross as there is a 60-year-old cross there, and the lower pakhadi be named St Anthony’s, as a club by the same name runs there,” said Regan Mendonza, vibhag sarpanch for Kanjur-Vikhroli-Mulund, Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP), which represents the community.

The community now intends to follow suit in other gaothans across the city, as they find it necessary that areas be named after people or things that relate to their culture .

“Though we are the mulvasis (original inhabitants) of the city, there are no lanes named after our leaders, and we are considered migrants. In order to retain our right over the city, it is necessary that lanes have a community connect,” said Alphi D’Souza, mahasarpanch, MGP. The project ‘Aaplaa Gaav! Aaplaa Naav’ (Our village, our name) was launched by the MGP last year.

“We launched the project to encourage local gaothan activists and associations to name roads and prominent spots with the East Indian Community theme to give the gaothans its true identity,” said Gleason Barretto, founder trustee, MGP.