Let the active residents’ groups in Colaba show you how to participate in local self-governance. Their concerted efforts are ensuring that the money spent by the civic body on their ambitious beautification project in A ward in Colaba-Cuffe Parade, is being utilised for the right purpose. The objective behind this exercise is to empower citizens and ensure that there is accountability by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for the works on beautification.
Spearheading this is former corporator Makarand Narwekar. He said, “Residents suggest where works are to be carried out. For example, near Strand Cinema, Colaba Causeway and SBS road they needed a divider and only after residents proposed it, the work was done.
“Likewise, a Suraksha Garden at Cuffe Parade was beautified as per citizens’ suggestions. The beautification money is spent at the behest of the residents and not because BMC felt like doing it,” Narwekar added.
Regarding road concretisation, the scope of work is put out in public domain. “If a concrete slab has to be of certain millimetre thickness, people are aware of such specifications mentioned in the tender. A lot of roads are being resurfaced and it is specified whether drains are included in the scope of work and whether it is done aesthetically etc. All this is being monitored by the residents,” said Narwekar.
There are six citizen groups involved in monitoring the works — Strand Cinema Residents’ Association, Cuffe Parade Residents’ Association, My Dream Colaba, Old Cuffe Parade Residents’ Association,Colaba Post office Citizens’ group and Oval Churchgate Residents’ Association. Each group has at least 10 members each.
“Residents are in touch with contractors and take step by step update on works carried out. They are ensuring that money is being spent on what they want and not as per what BMC wants,” said Narwekar. More than 20 projects on beautification like Colaba and Strand Cinema roads and divider, Suraksha Garden have been successfully implemented.
Haresh Hathiramani, another Colaba resident, said the citizens groups feel empowered because they function like a mini opposition, wherein issues are posted in the group and then the concerned official is contacted, who in turn sends photographs of the works completed as per citizens’ satisfaction.
“We are just one ward but the state should give access to more citizens’ voices. We also voice our views on substandard quality of materials or inferior quality of pavers used. We have raised an objection and got them changed,” he said.
Recently, Somani Road, SVS Road and Prakash Pethe Road in Colaba have been concretised. “Whenever there is concretising of road project, the former corporator Narwekar ensures that he calls the contractor on the site and along with the residents, discusses issues and explains the specifications. We see the kind of levelling, material used. We have access to the road contractors, who are apprised of the requirements, “he said.
Bella Shah from Colaba Post office Residents’ Association said that their main concern were footpaths which were in a sorry state. “There were paver blocks where many kids and senior citizens used to fall down. So, we took up footpath improvement on a war footing from Regal Cinema to Colaba post office and bylanes in Colaba where they have been concretised with a uniform stamping all over with same design and grey colour.”
Shah said people are happy with good quality pavements. “We have also undertaken a lot of beautification works on the wall near Kittridge Road and Campion school where the wall had given way. It was refurbished and all the old heritage of our times like Gateway of India and CST station were drawn with charcoal on the wall. We have got 12 walls painted by the same artist and monitored them personally,” added Shah.
