Chandivali residents resort to hunger strike over 90 feet road issue
Chandivali residents resort to hunger strike over 90 feet road issue
Residents of Chandivali in Mumbai went on a hunger strike to demand better roads. They currently spend 45 minutes to an hour to traverse a 15-minute road to get to Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road. The planned 90 feet road, which would ease their struggles, remains incomplete. The residents are demanding the completion of the road and a specific timeline for the construction plan. Despite a protest in February and promises from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, no progress has been made. The residents are frustrated with the lack of attention from their representatives and plan to continue their fight.
The residents of Chandivli, are placed in a pathetic situation over commute hassles. They are absolutely fed up with their daily commute and are on the verge of being pushed to resort to an hunger strike for better roads to move about. Source reveal that they have to spend a minimum 45 minutes to an hour to traverse a 15-minute road to to take to the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), a planned road that would ease their struggles, with the 90 feet yet incomplete.
As a mark of protest, the residents congregated on Sunday morning on the Nahar Amrit Shakti Road on a hunger strike from 10am to 6pm. They were fully frustration and angered at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) apathy in ensuring adequate roads to their locality.
They are left with no option but to take the DP Road Number 9, since that connects Chandivali Farm Road to JVLR, that takes over 60 minutes to cross. Had the road been in a better condition it should not take more than 10 to 15 minutes as per Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of the Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA), leading the fight for
better roads.
It is learnt that the 90 feet road, is in the development plan, but has been stuck in limbo. In 2021, around 200 meters of the road was constructed and as of now, the now partial road is being used as a parking lot for trucks and bikes. With its completion, the residents would have a better option to get to JVLR from Chandivali Farm Road. The road would connect them with Powai and the eastern and western suburbs.
The first and foremost demand of the residents first from the BMC is they need the 90 feet road completed at the earliest possible. They also need a specific timeline of the construction plan in writing voiced Mandeep.
In total disregard to a protest in February that resulted in a meeting with P Velarasu, additional municipal commissioner (Projects), who ensured them that the tendering process would finish in a month’s time and yet no progress has been made. The lack of attention from the MP or MLA also angered him and the 90 feet road residents.
According to Mohini Maheshwari,fellow resident.
time is the most precious thing said Mohini Maheshwari, and sadly they have to leave their home an hour to 45 minutes early to head to any destination.
Mohini goes every evening to leave her children to their classes, having to leave at 3:30pm to reach nearly an hour after. All the residents have similar stories, their commutes lengthened by the narrow DP Road Number 9, which is in an immobilized condition. Craters dot the entire route, hawkers and slum dwellers line the sides, coming to the fore at night. No footpaths and pedestrians are made to walk in unsafe conditions.
The residents moved to a spot inside their housing society, Synchronicity Housing Society, at 12:00, since they didn’t want to add to the inconvenience on the road.
Mandeep further voiced that they are responsible citizens and need to make their issue known, but we don’t want to obstruct others for long.
The idea was to draw people in large numbers being a Sunday to voice their pathetic condition.
Another resident, Anil Somhar leaves for his office in Marol daily between 9:30am and 10 am, to reach at 11:30am, a distance that without the traffic, shouldn’t take him more than 15 minutes. He checks Google maps before leaving home to see if there’s any traffic block.
The residents also have the option of the Panch Shrishti road to get to JVLR, but that is a longer route which is also similarly marred by traffic.
A third option is the private internal road of the Lake Homes complex, which has remained closed to outsiders since June.
According to Sanjay Kalra, another resident this is a failure of town planning. They’re constantly allowing new high-rises to be constructed, but they’re not ensuring that there are proper roads that can service the population boom.
The residents have been living in the area for over a decade and spoke of worsening traffic in the duration they had seen the area blossom into an upmarket area.
Priyanka Prasad, yet another resident, voices that when her children have their exams, they are tensed as they have to travel for over an hour. What worries her and other residents is what will happen when there’s an emergency and a fire truck or ambulance has to pass through – they will get stuck.
Another resident, Sadhna Malhotra, a senior citizen, complained on how the craters on DP Road Number 9 were adding to her spine problems.
However, P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (Projects) feels that a better future may be in view. “The tender is already approved, but, land acquisition process is not complete. Once that is complete, they will float the tender. The roads dept will take up the work immediately after monsoon subject to land acquisition.
At the end of the day, Mandeep considers their protest was successful.They got a lot of support from residents, with a lot of people continuously coming to meet them and join the protest. Regrettably, No officials reached out to them as yet, but expected them to at least acknowledge their attempts at fighting for their basic needs. He remains motivated, as his next step, will be to head to BMC headquarters in protest.
News Edit K.V.Raman
