From: bcsabha.kal...@gmail.com To: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/DP-proposes-widening-of-fictitious-road-through-Mumbais-heart-of-heritage-Marol-church/articleshow/46739798.cms
DP proposes widening of fictitious road
through heart of heritage Marol church
Richa Pinto
`Vehicles May Put School's Kids
At Risk'
Despite it being known quite
well by now that the BMC's draft De velopment
Plan contains the seeds of destruction for the city as one knows it, the
document hasn't lost its ability to spring nasty surprises. The latest
is that it proposes to widen a nonexistent road cutting through the
premises of the centuries old St John The Evangelist Church at Marol,
Andheri (East). A few years ago, parishioners had agreed to part
with a portion of the church's playground for the BMC to lay a road.
“This road, around the perimeter of church premises, reaches the place
where the proposed road would end. So, what is the point of having this
new road?“ said activist Godfrey Pimenta. “The DP proposal would
affect churchgoers as well as schoolchildren.“
Brian Perreira, an original inhabitant of Marol Gaothon, said he found the
DP proposal for the church “deeply disturbing“.
“This is a draconian development. They are showing a public road
passing through our church property and the school. I have studied in
this school and am also a parishioner. In the guise of road widening,
the BMC plans to enter church premises once again. This is gross
injustice,“ he said.
This is not the first instance of a DP
proposal to cut through a heritage structure. TOI earlier reported about
a similar plan for St
Anne's Church on Pali Hill, Bandra.
On Sunday, a meeting of the
Marol church's civic and political cell was convened to discuss the
impending threat. Parishioner Bernice Martin said the planned
road would affect the playground and so a vital open space will get
adversely affected. “A road passing between the playground and the
church and school could be dangerous for schoolchildren. They may face
danger
from oncoming vehicles while they rush to the playground from their
classes.Besides, major liturgical services are held on this ground.“
The widened road is proposed to be 9.15 metres wide.
