Due to overwhelming opposition from the local population, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has put a halt to its intention to concretise the Auxilium Convent Road in Pali Hill. The decision was made in response to questions regarding the project’s necessity because the road, which was built only five years ago, is still in decent condition.
The Pali Hill Residents Association (PHRA) had previously written to Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, highlighting the road’s current state. PHRA Secretary Madhu Poplai, former corporator Asif Zakaria, and other residents later met with BMC officials from the roads department, successfully advocating for the project’s suspension. The Auxilium Convent Road, a dead-end used mainly by locals, is lined with mature trees that could be impacted by the construction. Additionally, a nearby girls’ primary school raised concerns about dust pollution and safety hazards. Residents also feared that road concretisation, amid an upcoming redevelopment project, could obstruct emergency vehicle access.
Commissioner Gagrani ordered city officials to visit the location and speak with locals before taking any further action in response to these objections. Similar situations throughout Mumbai would be assessed separately, taking into account local objections as well as road conditions, according to a recent BMC news statement.
This is not the first time residents have resisted unnecessary road concretisation. Similar demands have come from residents of Mount Mary Road and Kane Road in Bandra West, as well as citizens in Colaba and Marine Drive. Former corporator Makarand Narwekar also petitioned the municipal commissioner, arguing that four roads in Colaba—Henry Marg, Tullak Marg, Garden Road, and Walton Road—were in good condition and did not require immediate resurfacing.
With a goal of finishing 132 km before the monsoon, the BMC is presently working on a massive project to convert more than 450 km of Mumbai’s roads to cement-concrete (CC). The stop in Pali Hill, however, highlights the rise in public involvement in urban planning. Residents are advocating for a more selective strategy that gives priority to roads in poor condition rather than resurfacing those that are still in good condition, even as the BMC continues to modernise road infrastructure. In the future, it will be essential for people and officials to work together more closely to make sure that development initiatives meet Mumbai’s real requirements.
Source: Prop News Time
