SOUL APPEALS TO CM SHRI PRITHWIRAJ CHAVHAN TO INTERVENE

January 22, 2013 at 3:46 pm (SILENT VOICE)
Tags: Anthony, Hill Road, India, Kandivali, Maharashtra, Malad, Malwani, Mumbai

SOUL team is leaving no stone unturned in order to seek justice ans get the unjust Land Acquisition Notices Withdrawn!!!!!!!!

Shri Prithviraj Chavan,

Hon’ble Chief Minister,

Government of Maharashtra.

Dear Hon’ble Shri Prithvaraj Chavan,

Re: Withdrawal of acquisition notices issued to St. Anthony’s Church, Malwani, Malad West for Road Widening and Our Lady of Assumption Church, Kandivali for

Nullah Widening

We have been enamoured in the way you have handled the running of the administration of the Government of Maharashtra.

Your personal intergrity cannot be questioned and your approach is humane for the common good. Thank you Sir.

We are constrained to approach your goodself to redress the grievances as regards the solemn assurance given by the Hon’ble Municipal Commissioner, Shri Sitaram Kunte ( MC) when he visited St. Anthony’s Church, Malwani, Malad West on January 19, 2013 to get the first hand information as regards issues being raised by the Christian community numbering over 14, 000 as well as a 2500 strong School going Children and their Parents belonging to all communities on the aspect of Malad -Marve Road widening issue.

The MC was duly apprised of the various documents being shown by the various Departments of the MCGM which were contradicting each other.

We also apprised the MC that the delination of the Roadline is not Sacrosanct but could be changed to accomodate the just demands of the people. This would enable to protect the heritage structure of the Church which has a 400 years old history.

In the recent past Hill Road, Bandra widening which was proposed in the year 2007 when objected to by the Christian and Parsi Communities as it was affecting 3 heritage structures, the roadline was then re-aligned from 90 feet to 60 feet. It is relevant to mention here that the primary cause of traffic obstruction is the illegal hawkers and illegal parking without which the vehicular movement can be a smooth one and Hill Road is a classic example.

Enclosed is the brief write up that appeared in the Times of India on this issue. As is evident from the press reports which shows that there is a precedent

for re-alignment of Roads in the BMC Jurisdiction. Than why are the authorities insisting that the Roadline of 1971 is sacrosanct.

Is there a deliberate attempt to destroy the heritage structure of the 400 years old Church? Why this dual standards.?

Needless to state that the vehicular traffic is very heavy on Hill Road which is not even 1/100th in case of Malwani beyond the St. Anthony’s Church, because it is sparsely populated and it is a “No Development Zone”

We also highlighted to the MC the intense congestion on the Swami Vivekanand Road ( Borivali to Bandra ) and as to why the said road widening is not undertaken on a war footing. An approximate of 10 lakh strong people use the said stretch are suffering and have a harrowing time commuting on this road. There are several impediments which cause obstructions to the traffic, but no one seems to bother. Are we not concerned with the development which is pro- people?

In these circumstances the MC was good enough to give a solemn assurance that no work would be undertaken on the stretch where the Malavani Church is located till such time the issues are adequately sorted out.

During the visit the MC was also good enough to direct the officials present [numbering approx 50][ to furnish to us the requisite documents as demanded which the BMC officials at the local level are deliberately withholding for the reasons best known to them .

In view of the facts narrated above we are at a loss to understand as to how the local BMC officials are now trying to carry out work at the same spot where the MC had verbally ordered to cease and desist the work untill further resolution of the issues. It appears that the dictates of the MC does not run down at the Ward Office level and the officials are doing things as per their whims and fancy in total insubordination. How can the administration tolerate this?

We are seeing a deliberate pattern on the part of the authorities and constant injustice that is being meted out to us as members of minority community.

Sir, you are an upright and honest Chief Minister who means business and we have a last ray of hope in you, as such we have been left with no option, but to seek your immeidate intervention to please instruct the authorities not to harass a minority community much less the matter takes an ugly turn and becomes an national issue.

Thanking you in advance in anticipation that you will redress our genuine grievances.

with warm regards,

Dolphy Dsouza

Spokesperson

Save Our Land- Team [SOUL]

Our Lady of Assumption Church,

M.G. Road, Kandivali West,

Mumbai 400 0067

Cell: 09820226227

Email: dolphydolphy13@gmail.com

Blog : http://www.silentmaj.wordpress.com