MUMBAI: Plagued by hawkers who return hours after they are evicted, poorly lit roads, randomly parked vehicles that block access to buildings, loud noise from a private playground allegedly beyond 10.00 pm, and a banquet hall that spews smoke from a large chimney directly facing the road, housing societies of Lions SOL Marg near Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri, are at their wits’ end.
TOI had highlighted how food vendors have turned Highland Park locality into Khau Gully in its edition of December 4. Little has changed since then. Now residents of six large societies namely Highland Park, Premium Tower, Grenville, Belscot Tower, Samarth Aishwarya, Mala Tower and Benhur have undertaken signature campaigns among members to highlight the failure of civic infrastructure. They will present a memorandum to MLA Bharti Lavekar and ex-corporator Yogiraj Dabhadkar, whom they met Feb 2.
“We have drawn up an action plan seeking permanent removal of hawkers. Unauthorised parking is a persistent problem, particularly with visitors to Flags Banquet Hall, and triple parking on the road leading to Celebration Club. Dabhadkar assured us that No Parking and Pay and Park signboards will be erected,” said a member.
“We drew attention to the noise disturbance caused by late operational hours at (a private playground) Tiger Play that exceed the 10.00 pm deadline mandated by the Supreme Court. We proposed the installation of a gate to regulate access to a private road leading to the playground. This will stop cars from parking in this lane. And once the gate is closed at the proper time, late night entry will stop too.”
MLA Lavekar said Saturday, “The residents met me to discuss multiple problems over illegal hawking as well as encroachment. I have taken up the matter with BMC officials and will do so again.”
Sachin Sanghvi, who manages Tiger Play, said, “We halt all activity at 10.30 pm. But overzealous residents complain even though their houses don’t face our turf or when parties are taking place in their own building. Police have visited and verified this. Moreover, there is a wedding ground nearby where events go on beyond 10.00 pm. At other turfs in the city, people play till 2.00 am. And it is not like we use loudspeakers at night.”
A director of Flags Banquet said, “We are willing to change the direction of the chimney if it is causing inconvenience. But our guests do not park on the road. Our valets drive cars to a nearby BMC pay and park at Runwal building.”
TOI had highlighted how food vendors have turned Highland Park locality into Khau Gully in its edition of December 4. Little has changed since then. Now residents of six large societies namely Highland Park, Premium Tower, Grenville, Belscot Tower, Samarth Aishwarya, Mala Tower and Benhur have undertaken signature campaigns among members to highlight the failure of civic infrastructure. They will present a memorandum to MLA Bharti Lavekar and ex-corporator Yogiraj Dabhadkar, whom they met Feb 2.
“We have drawn up an action plan seeking permanent removal of hawkers. Unauthorised parking is a persistent problem, particularly with visitors to Flags Banquet Hall, and triple parking on the road leading to Celebration Club. Dabhadkar assured us that No Parking and Pay and Park signboards will be erected,” said a member.
“We drew attention to the noise disturbance caused by late operational hours at (a private playground) Tiger Play that exceed the 10.00 pm deadline mandated by the Supreme Court. We proposed the installation of a gate to regulate access to a private road leading to the playground. This will stop cars from parking in this lane. And once the gate is closed at the proper time, late night entry will stop too.”
MLA Lavekar said Saturday, “The residents met me to discuss multiple problems over illegal hawking as well as encroachment. I have taken up the matter with BMC officials and will do so again.”
Sachin Sanghvi, who manages Tiger Play, said, “We halt all activity at 10.30 pm. But overzealous residents complain even though their houses don’t face our turf or when parties are taking place in their own building. Police have visited and verified this. Moreover, there is a wedding ground nearby where events go on beyond 10.00 pm. At other turfs in the city, people play till 2.00 am. And it is not like we use loudspeakers at night.”
A director of Flags Banquet said, “We are willing to change the direction of the chimney if it is causing inconvenience. But our guests do not park on the road. Our valets drive cars to a nearby BMC pay and park at Runwal building.”