Kalyan residents miffed, plan protests against civic body
KALYAN: Residents of Kalyan who took to protesting after a pothole again claimed a life on Friday have now decided to intensify their demonstration against the Kalyan-dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC).
Kalyan-based activist Sreeniwas Ghanekar, 52, distributed sweets to the KDMC employees remarking that he reached safely on his bike despite pathetic road conditions on Friday evening. “We have learnt that the civic body is neglecting our demands. We will soon come up with a protest plan against it,” he said.
The residents have been holding several meetings to discuss their line of action against the civic body. They are also considering taking up a legal battle against the KDMC.
On July 9, Kalyan residents protested against the civic body at the Shivaji-chowk accident spot. It was where five-year-old Aarav Atharvale fell and was run over by a truck last month after his father’s bike skid because of a pothole. His father, Mahesh, 32, said, “I have been trying to forget the incident but due to more pothole deaths, I am not able to overcome the pain. No action has been taken against KDMC engineers and contractors. It is injustice towards us.”
The civic body had assured residents a meeting with the officials of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority. However, the residents were not called for any meeting by KDMC chief Govind Bodke.
Residents claimed that none of the spots where accidents took place has been repaired by the civic body. “There is no pressure on the civic body by the elected representatives of Kalyan-dombivli. This is why we residents are forced to raise our voice,” said Rupesh Mane, 35, a resident of Agra Road, Kalyan (West). On Friday morning, KDMC commissioner met the residents of Dwarli village after a pothole claimed the life of a 45-year-old man at Dwarli Naka, Haji Malang Road, Kalyan (East). The village residents gave consent for the KDMC to continue concretising the Haji Malang stretch (the work was stopped because some said they were not compensated enough). “We will also fill the potholes on this stretch with immediate effect,” said Bodke. “The remaining spots where accidents took place are also being repaired. The Kongaon spot will be looked after by MSRDC.”
Residents have decided to conduct a dhol-tasha andolan outside the KDMC commissioner’s bungalow on July 21.
Sajita Nair, 37, a resident of Adharwadi, Kalyan (West), said, “Somewhere down the line it is citizens’ responsibility to act against the authorities who are doing nothing about it.”