Mumbai: ‘Marine Drive deserves big police station’

The upper crust of south Mumbai who predominantly reside in seafacing highrises has been strongly opposing the relocation of Marine Drive police station whose colonialera structure will be razed to pave the way for the construction of upscale apartments mostly for senior IASIPS officersIn 2002 the jurisdictions of Cuffe Parade and Azad Maidan police stations were carved out for the Marine Drive police station which was then housed in a Britishera barrackBut now instead of increasing the area of Marine Drive police station itrsquos being relocated to a building deep inside the lane where the total area is that of a chicken coopAn aerial view of the Marine Drive police station and the underconstruction building for senior bureaucrats on February 3 PicShadab KhanSenior police officers told midday that public works department PWD personnel have been sending them letters to leave the barrack for the smooth construction of an upscale building for babus Residents are upset because if the Marine Drive police station is shifted behind a BMCrun pump house it will not be easily accessible to residents most of whom are senior citizens No fourwheeler can go inside the narrow laneThere are many colleges iconic clubs and cricket stadiums restaurants and tourist spots such as the Queenrsquos Necklace which see high footfall and VIP movement and the Marine Drive cops are constantly on their toes But sources in the police department underlined that the swanky building for senior babus is more important for the governmentMove criticisedA local resident termed the plan to shift the police station selfish while cops said that it was demoralising for the police force which deserves betterldquoWe the residents of Marine Drive want the police station to be visible large citizenfriendly accessible and have sufficient parking spacerdquo said Ashok Gupta vicepresident of Marine Drive Citizens AssociationldquoWe need a 250seater facility as there is no space to accommodate officials who come as reinforcement These personnel have to struggle to heed naturersquos call or take a bathrdquo he addedA police department source said ldquoWe have been asked to vacate this barrack and start working from a building where the maximum area of a room is 100 sq ft Also the official vehicle of a senior inspector canrsquot be parked near the building which only a motorcycle can reachrdquolsquoDiscouraging moversquoldquoThis is one of the most important police stations in Mumbai We need to keep several barricades for bandobast and nakabadis Where we will keep the impounded vehicles if the area is downsized by pushing us deep inside the lane This is a very discouraging moverdquo said an officer A police officer requesting anonymity said ldquoThe government as well as citizens want worldclass policing services but how we will be able to work if there is no place to sit properly The cabin of a senior inspector is also small Above all the interrogation room is a small boxrdquoSuresh Chhabria a resident said ldquoThis is a stepmotherly treatment We want a police station that is easily accessible Even today people find it very difficult to locate the Marine Drive police station If itrsquos shifted things will go from bad to worserdquo He added ldquoWe need to have a larger and more accessible space for the Marine Drive police station It should not be relocated The new building should be given only to house their administrative staff whereas for policing the officials can work from hererdquoSunayana Sadarangani 71 one of the early broadcast journalists said ldquoWe have to face difficulties at present Taxi drivers do not know where the Maine Drive police station is We have to tell them that take us to CCI then they come And if it is shifted to a junkyard citizens in distress will find it very difficult to locate the police stationrdquoAnother resident Meena Mutha who is the trustee of a rehabilitation centre said the alreadyhigh footfall at Marine Drive was going to increase due to the Coastal Road ldquoMarine Drive is a major tourist spot The police station should be visible so that the citizens in distress can easily find it If the police station is cornered the street crime rate in the area will skyrocketrdquo Mutha saidResident Mahendra Hemdev said ldquoI think it is a halfhearted approach by those involved in shifting this Marine Drive police station to a junkyard Where will the police keep their impounded vehicles amid the space crunchrdquoAn elderly woman Madhuri Choitram said ldquoWhy disturb our police force who have been working round the clock for our safety At least give them a better place to work I would request the government to shift them to a location where Marine Drive citizens can easily reach and park their vehicles Donrsquot corner the Marine Drive police stationrdquoOne alternativeThere is a growing demand among citizens to relocate the Marine Drive police station to a parking space near the Air India building next to Vidhan Bhavan ldquoIt will serve the purpose as it has a large space where the police can keep impounded vehicles and it will be easily accessible to one and allrdquo said 75yearold Anil BhatiaA senior officer in Mumbai police said ldquoThe area of this parking space is nearly 12000 sq ft If it is given to the Marine Drive police it will be great because it is located near Vidhan BhavanrdquoMeanwhile Gupta said ldquoThis large piece of land is being used to park vehicles This is government land where a building for the Marine Drive police station can be easily maderdquoRaising numerous concerns a police officer said ldquoWe have to do nakabandis at Marine Drive in the night for which we need to have several barricades But where we will keep the barricades if we do not have space Where will we keep impounded vehicles There is only one way out of the narrow lane How we will work if a large crowd gathers at the police station We will be completely stranded if a fire breaks out as no fire engines can come inside This is very alarming as the lives of our men will be at risk all the time The government should think of some alternative arrangementrdquoAnother officer said ldquoBabus holding key positions want to reside in posh areas at the cost of our convenience If the senior IASIPS officers want free government accommodation swanky buildings should be made for them in Kurla Dahisar Mulund Dharavi or BKC Why do they want to live in a building constructed next to the seardquoSeniorSpeakMeanwhile Joint Commissioner of Police Admin S Jaykumar said ldquoI need to verify the exact status I think the spot where the Marine Drive police station is located at present is a temporary accommodation and this relocation could be a temporary measure We have to find permanent accommodation for a police station as per the town planning in the area We have to relocate to a site where we will have all the required facilities to run a police stationrdquo100 sq ftArea of room in new building