The need for space and safety has united the police and the residents of Kasarwadvli in their demand for a new police station on a 2,837 sqm plot at Ghodbunder Road at Thane. The current police station is situated on the same road, on a plot that belongs to the civic body.
However, the corporation has been planning to widen the road in order to construct a service road. The police station, therefore, will have to be demolished.
The residents have written to the chief minister asking him to reserve the plot, which belongs to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada), for a new police station.
“We have also submitted an application to home minister RR Patil’s personal assistant,” said Dr. Waman Kale, president of Ghodbunder Road Housing Societies Welfare Association.
The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) had first sent a notice to the police station in December 2009 to demolish the structure within seven days claiming it was illegal. However, the police did not act upon the notice.
Police officials said they want to ensure that the police station is shifted to a new plot because they think the civic body may issue a fresh notice soon.
“A letter was sent from the police commissioner’s office to the additional secretary (home) in October 2010 asking them to sanction the plot. But there has been no response. We are asking for this plot because it is in the centre of the jurisdiction area and is located on the main road,” said senior police inspector Pramod Khade.
{{/usCountry}}“A letter was sent from the police commissioner’s office to the additional secretary (home) in October 2010 asking them to sanction the plot. But there has been no response. We are asking for this plot because it is in the centre of the jurisdiction area and is located on the main road,” said senior police inspector Pramod Khade.
{{/usCountry}}However, civic officials said that a lot of ambiguity surrounds the plot with regards to its ownership and reservation. They said there was a dispute regarding the land title, which is being investigated.
However, in their letter to the chief minister, residents stated that Mhada had given the plot to TMC, which had reserved it for a recreational garden for senior citizens.
TMC’s public relations officer Sandeep Malvi said: “Though Mhada had written to us about handing over the plot, it has not been legally transferred yet. The plot has been reserved for a playground and not for a senior citizens’ park.”
“If we do not get the police station, we will take out a protest march,” said Sanjay Gaikwad, secretary of Vijay Park Complex.
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