Mumbai’s close shave with another Ramabai

MUMBAI, Dec 16: Tension gripped Ghatkopar (East) this morning once again when a crowd of about 700 people, mostly women, staged a rasta rok...

MUMBAI, Dec 16: Tension gripped Ghatkopar (East) this morning once again when a crowd of about 700 people, mostly women, staged a rasta roko on the Eastern Express highway protesting poor water supply in the area. As women squatted on the road shouting slogans against the municipal corporation, the agitation brought back memories of July 11 when police had opened fire at a violent crowd protesting against the desecration of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue killing ten people and injuring several others, here.

However, both police and the civic authorities were quick to respond today. While senior BMC officials rushed to the spot and assured the crowd that the water supply would be restored soon, police diverted traffic away from the busy highway and calmed down the protestors.

This predominantly Dalit residential area, comprising slums of old Ramabai Nagar, Kamraj Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Sahkar Nagar, Saibaba Nagar and Nalanda, has been reeling under a serious water crunch due to a damaged 300 mm diametre water main on the Ghatkopar-Mahul road along the highway. The residents had planned to take out a handa morcha to the BMC’s N ward office yesterday. However, the morcha was cancelled after senior BMC officers assured them that the water supply would soon be restored. But when the taps in about 20,000 houses in the area remained dry for the seventh consecutive day today, the people in a spontaneous expression of anger blocked the highway.

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“We could barely manage our routine even when the water supply was normal. But this week, we have not received a single drop of water. We have been complaining to the authorities in all possible ways, but in vain. Today, our agitation was peaceful, but if the water supply is not restored by tomorrow morning we will be forced to turn violent,” warned Vitthal Sonavane, who later led a delegation to Deputy Municipal Commissioner M B Sahasrabuddhe and Ward Officer G R Merani.

BMC officials say that while a permanent solution to the problem would take some time, arrangements were being made to give a temporary connection to the affected area through the Mumbai-II main line. “The work is likely to be completed by 8 pm and this will give relief to the residents,” an engineer assured. He added that for a permanent solution to the problem, a water main would be required to be laid across the Eastern Express highway, which could be done only after necessary permissions from the the highway authorities, he said.

The Pant Nagar police, meanwhile, relived the nightmare of July 11. Zonal deputy police commissioner, Dilip Shreerao, said: “Minutes after we came to know about the rasta roko, our officers were on the spot. As the July 11 incidents were fresh in their minds, they appealed to the people to maintain peace. We diverted traffic to other roads. As a result, the traffic was regularised half an hour after the blockade was lifted.”