Crocodile sighted in nullah at Juinagar again, say residents

The slushy nullah behind Juinagar railway station where residents have seen a huge crocodile.

A huge crocodile was seen in a channel in Sanpada many times since July 29.

The flowing water behind Juinagar railway station, has many residential buildings near it.

Gaurav Shah, who works in an office nearby, saw the reptile on July 29 first. “I had just parked my car when someone from my office asked me to check what was in the bushes. When I went near the channel, near Ellora Fiesta building, I was shocked to see the huge crocodile around 6-7 feet moving there.”

He added, “A couple of days later the crocodile was once again seen in the area of the channel between Ellora Fiesta and Millennium Towers, but on the opposite side of the channel. There were some more sightings later by some people.”

Worried residents and shopkeepers have demanded that the channel be covered at the earliest .

Residents and businessmen of Sanpada, especially sector 11, 23 and 24, have written to the mayor, municipal commissioner and the police on the issue.

Mukesh Bhanushali, a resident, said: “This is a serious life threatening matter. There is a possibility that there are more than one reptile in the area and they have made this place their home.”

Bhanushali said, “There is no fencing or protection wall along the channel and its route. It would be a catastrophe if the reptile managed to come out of the nullah into the residential area.”

Bhanushali said, “We the residents want immediate protection. While urgent measures need to be taken, for the long term the civic body should cover the nullah as it has done in Vashi and use it for pay and park.”

He said, “We have learnt that originally NMMC had planned a box type nullah along the channel route and also a service road but they are still to see the light of day.”

Mayor Sudhakar Sonawane, who the residents met and submitted their complaint said, “All steps will be taken to secure the residents. I have instructed the administration to take immediate action in the issue.”