Sandeep Naik on New Bombay plus connect 7.

Dear Reader,

As part of our ‘Reader connect’ initiative, we have started new column wherein you can Email us all your Grievances (related to civic issues) and we shall forward the same to the chairman of the standing committee of NMMC, Sandeep Naik. He will then personally look into the matter and shall take appropriate action. We shall publish your grievance and the action taken by him, ensuring full transparency every week. Last week we got several mails from our readers and we forwarded some of them to him. HERE is the response and action taken by him.

Q1.) Dear Mr Naik
There was a plan to develop the back water cluster opposite Kalash Uddyan,Koparkhairane to a boating lake and a good jogging track around it. Kindlylet us know if you have set up any timeline for this beautiful and landmarkproject.regardsShivaji SanyalSector 12A, KoparkhairaneNavi Mumbai

Ans) It is not possible to do any kind of beautification work near the holding pond in front of Kalash Udayn, as it is close to the mangroves. The High Court has admitted an appeal on this matter. All beautification and other works can be executed only after the decision of the High court.

Q.2) Dear Sir, It is very hearty indeed to know TOI has sought the right way to access political leaders like Mr.Sandeep Naik to address issues faced by the public in Navi Mumbai. It is heartier to see that Sandeep Naik is responding positively!! This is what is expected from young leaders like him. I would like to draw his attention to a very rampantly seen practice nowadays in Navi mumbai. It is the issue of political posters display in every nook and corner of the city in name of 'birthday wishes', 'festival wishes' so on an so forth. This really makes the city's appearance so unhealthy and dirty. what is shocking is that no traffic signal, electric pole is spared to tie these posters. All these posters are displayed in the name of some "well-wisher". If leaders like Sandeep Naik really care about navi mumbai city's appearance, they can very well instruct these well-wishers not to display such posters and spoil the city's appearance. How will these well-wishers dare to disobey them?? Moreover it is such a big loss to NMMC as i am sure nobody would be bothering to even think of paying the requisite fees for permission to display. I hope Mr.Sandeep naik sets an example himself and would help in making navi mumbai a better place for people to live in.

From- Niranjan Damle

Akhurath, Sec 14, Sanpada,

Navi Mumbai

Ans) Thank you for your positive remark about this column and my replies. I share and appreciate your concern for the city’s appearance, health and cleanliness. The Municipal administration has been appraised of your concern and have directed the concerned officials and staff to take action more effectively against the temporary flexes, banners and posters defiling the body of the city. However, as per the Municipal Act, permission for display of temporary flexes for social, religious and political programmes, after levying rent for the space and advertising charges is allowed for seven days. Permission is not given for temporary displays in the traffic islands in Municipal area. The ward offices take action regularly against those defiling the beauty of the city by removing the temporary advertisement flexes displayed without permission. Further, to ensure that the temporary outdoor flex displays are controlled and does not give an ugly look to the city, the authority to sanction the permission, for such displays for 7 days for social, religious and political programmes, has been given to the ward officers. The advertisement policy, for display of temporary flex/banner/poster/wall advertisements, is being finalized by the municipal corporation. The implementation of this policy in the municipal area will control outdoor advertisement displays that spoil the beauty of the city. Also action will be taken against displays without permission as per the provisions of Maharashtra State Public Properties defiling rules, 1995. In response to your letter, I have asked party workers and well-wishers to set an example and abide by the municipal rules to keep the city clean and beautiful.

Q.3) Dear Sir, I am a resident of Sector-20, Kharghar. Although it is considered as modern area in the cyber city of Navi Mumbai, residents in Kharghar sector-20 are facing lots of problems. 1, Cable operators are biggest problem. After coming back, if you want to switch on TV, then you have to watch something with worst quality. The money they charge is at par with other cable operators, but quality is worst than any village cable connection. In all the towers they have made cable connections during building construction period for which they get money from builder. Then builder charge you for this while purchasing the flat. Once you shift to the apartment, cable operator charges you Rs 500 to activate the connection and Rs 200+ per month. Even if you complain about quality, they never bother to come and solve the problem. They ask user what better quality he/she wants to watch TV? When I tried to book Tatasky or DishTV, they refused to give me connection. Both Tatasky and DishTV replied that, cable walas in Kharghar do not allow authorized service persons of Tatasky and DishTV to install it. They literally beat these people. So these people have to take police protection to install Tatasky or DishTV at customers, if any. In CBD Belapur and Kamothe and other places in Navi Mumbai, it is possible to get these connections easily but NOT in the KHARGHAR. That is the reason there are no Tatasky or DishTV dealers present in Kharghar. 2. Although lot of sky scrappers is present in sector-20, service road is in really shabby condition. A small road with open drainages and road dug by MSEB at the corner, makes it impossible for people to drive on the road. Also street lights are never ON in the evening. 3. The footpaths at the entry of the sector are occupied by illegal slaughterhouses who sell chicken, mutton and fish in open. They cut the animals at the back side of their shop (open plot of Shah Group) and keep the blood & unwanted body parts there only. This is causes health problem (apart from rotten smell) for residents who has no other option but to walk / drive from there. The number of these non-veg selling shops are increasing day by day. Sometimes back Shetkari-Kamgar-Paksh celebrated there 61st anniversary in the open plot of Shah Group. During that time these non-veg selling shops shifted to other side of the road and after the celebration was over, they came back to their old places (and sizes of their shops also increased). The Kharghar Medical Centre is coming up, just opposite to these shops. I dont know how that medical centre is going to maintain health of the people admitted there with so much unhygienic condition in front of their main gate. 4. The stray dogs are increasing day by day. These dogs sleep during day time and throughout the night makes lot of noise. People who work hard during the day are deprived of sleep because of dog barking. Also walking alone in the late evening / night is also dangerous because of them. These dogs get their food from the above mentioned non-veg shops. 5. Apart from less bus frequency ( which was discussed some times back in New Bombay Plus), Auto rickshaw drivers are charging exorbitently. Minimum charge is Rs 15. From Hiranandani (higway) to Raghunath Vihar, they charge Rs 25. If you extend it till main gate of any tower in Sector-20, your cost if Rs 30. If you extend further from your building main gate to entry of your wing ( less than 20meters), the charge is Rs 35. There is no opposition to these drivers. Most of them are Gaowalas and are under 18 years and without driving licenses. So my sincere request to NMMC is to make sure that people who buy at such high rates should get at least some basic facilities which they expect. Regards Sandeep Joshi Sector-20, Kharghar

Ans) Thank you for your concern and response to this column. I am afraid that your first four questions raise issues beyond the jurisdiction of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Kharghar is in Raigad District and presently under the CIDCO administration. Even your last question about auto-rickshaw drivers does not come under NMMC jurisdiction. However, NMMC can address your problem to a great extent by increasing frequency and routes of NMMT bus services, which will bring big relief to citizens plying to in and from Kharghar. The NMMC transport undertaking has approved the policy of plying buses on Build, Operate and Own Basis. This will result in additional buses and bus routes in Kharghar region. We welcome any suggestions from you on this, which will be studied and decided upon. The NMMT services operative in Kharghar presently are as follows: BUS NO ROUTE NO OF BUSES TRIPS 26 Thane-Kharghar (Jalvayu) 6 48 29 Thane-Kharghar(jalvayu) 6 38 44 Dombivali-Kharghar(Gharkul) 8 88 52 Belapur Rly Stn – Taloja Village 3 45 53 Belapur Rly Stn-Sanjvani Int. Sch 2 28 54 Kharghar Rly Stn - CISF 3 32 55 Ghansoli(Nagdev) –Kharghar (Jalvayu) 10 52 Thus 38 buses on 7 routes make 331 trips from 5.00 am to 12.30 am daily to and from Kharghar,presently, which will be increased further soon.

Q.4)
Human safety people coming out from Ghansoli Railway Station onto Thane Belapur road and vice versa are many and it is really dangerous for anyone to cross the road and go to other side for either his job or to catch a bus. The divider has been removed by NMMC a couple of months back and vehicles continuously move both ways preventing safe crossing. It is very much evident that anyone can get hurt due to a vehicle while crossing the road. It is much more dangerous when it is raining heavily and when it is night time. I wish to request Shri. Sandeep Naik, Chairman, NMMC Standing Committee to personally have a look at the situation and devise a means for the common people to cross the road. I have myself approached to NMMC officials stationed at Mhape Bridge and also officers from PBA Infrastructure to do something to safeguard the people but nothing concrete has been done and people are still at risk. Regards,

Paresh Joshii

Kopar Khairne

Ans) You have raised a very important issue, which has already been taken note of and is being addressed by the Municipal Administration. Under Phase 3 of the Thane-Belapur Road improvement work (construction of Fly-overs, Foot-bridges and slip-roads) the construction of a fly-over is in front of Ghansoli railway station is under progress which will facilitate crossing of the road by people and small vehicles. The work on the concrete slip-road adjoining the under-construction fly-over has been completed and small vehicles have started using it too, which has made crossing the road less dangerous presently. On completion of the flyover work, the crossing of the road will be comfortable and safe for the citizens.