Plan was originally ours, say Marine Drive residents
Ashley D’Mello | TNN
Date: 24th Oct 07
Mumbai: Marine Drive residents are upset by comments made by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad, who has said that the MMRDA wants to pull out of the Marine Drive makeover due to interference from residents in the area.Gaikwad told mediapersons that the residents were finicky about the colour of the paint being chosen for the benches and regularly interfere with other aspects of the project. “We are fed up of interference,’’ he emphatically said.
But the residents say they had long planned their own makeover—albeit on a smaller scale—so the MMRDA should have no problem if they offer suggestions to the MMRDA’s grand plan.
President of the Marine Drive Residents Association, Anil Bhatia, said the refurbishment has been discussed by residents for the past 16 years before the government came along and offered to execute a larger plan.
Neera Punj, a member of the Marine Drive Council which represents nine associations in the area, concurred that the refurbishment had been discussed by residents and added that they were also going to finance a smaller, more basic upgrade.
“We are stakeholders in the area and so we also have some suggestions for the way the area is being beautified. There is nothing wrong in discussing issues before you go ahead with execution,’’ she stated.
Bhatia added that the problems being faced by the MMRDA are mainly due to glitches inherent in the plan itself. The committee which changed the design of the road medians was appointed by the government, not us, he said. The problems faced by engineers due to three water pipes running under the drive are also not caused by residents, Bhatia said.
However, there are a few changes along the stretch, like where the gymkhanas are, that residents asked for. Locals also opposed some tree felling.
The heritage committee of BMC had also raised objections over the makeover, saying its approval had not been asked for despite Marine Drive being a heritage area.
Ratan Batliboi, state-appointed architect for the project, said the website, www.marinedrive.org, had been started so that all plans could be accessed by the public. He said the website ensured that there is transparency in the project and that residents are informed every deatil of the plan and the changes made in it.
