Civic body, MMRDA slugfest over illegal police outpost
The traffic police chowkie built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Development Authority (MMRDA) below the Sion flyover is illegal.
Last December, the municipal corporation wrote to the development authority asking them to stop work.
SY Kurhade, ward officer, F-North ward, confirmed writing to the MMRDA asking them to obtain necessary permissions before continuing with the construction work.
The matter was brought to light thanks to efforts of residents like Nikhil Desai.
Desai, an activist from Matunga, had been opposing construction of the chowkie since the first brick was laid in 2009. However, the civic body didn’t pay attention, as the MMRDA hadn’t handed over the bridge to BMC, he claimed.
Desai said any kind of construction under the bridge was bound to cause inconvenience to civic officials as it becomes difficult for them to undertake maintenance work. The letter also stated that several people were living illegally under the bridge and dirtying the area, resulting in spread of diseases.
However, the MMRDA claims the structure was a temporary one to replace the police chowkie below the Aurora flyover.
“We have handed it over to the police. It is up to them to take requisite permissions,” said Dilip Kawathkar, joint director PR, MMRDA.
Last week, the circular issued by the civic chief directed the building proposal department to undertake a survey and make a list of all illegal structures that built without permission.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
Govt may challenge HC order scrapping ration delivery plan
The Delhi government may challenge a decision by the Delhi high court to scrap the contentious doorstep delivery of ration scheme, which was aimed at providing specific food articles to the homes of Public Distribution System beneficiaries. There are around 1.7 million ration card holders in the national capital who currently go to fair price shops to get the food articles they are entitled to.
-
Jammu-Srinagar national highway reopened, stranded vehicles allowed towards Kashmir
Banihal/Udhampur/Jammu Hundreds of vehicles, stranded for four days, were allowed towards Kashmir on Friday night as one way was restored on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway after freshly building a road stretch to replace the one washed away in flash floods, officials said. Senior Superintendent of Police national highway, Shabir Ahmad Malik said while all blockades were removed and traffic cleared, the major problem of washing away of the road patch at Dewal bridge near Samroli on June 21 took three-and-half-days to be cleared.
-
As part of our 'Walled City dictionary' series that explores the names of Old Delhi places. Despite being a mere courtesan, Anarkali dares Emperor Akbar with a spunky dance. Golcha cinema, in Daryaganj, is screening the digitally coloured version of the classic Mughal-e-Azam. The single-screen hall shut down six years ago (last movie screened was Kahani 2). Golcha came up in 1954. The theatre is now a ghost of its recent past.
-
Jammu and Kashmir to host G20 summit next year, 5-member panel formed
The Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted a five-member high-powered panel for overall coordination of G20 meetings to be held in the union territory next year. Acting upon a communique from the Union ministry of external affairs dated June 4, the principal secretary to the J&K government, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi accorded sanction for the constitution of the five-member panel.
-
NIA conducts searches in Jalalabad bomb blast case
The National Investigation Agency on Friday conducted searches at multiple locations in Punjab in the last year's Jalalabad bomb blast case. The NIA conducted searches at 6 locations in the districts of Ferozepur, Fazilka and Tarn Taran and digital devices (mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, DVRs) , ammunition and other incriminating documents/materials were seized.
