Mumbai: Malabar Hill Residents Begin Signature Campaign Against Gatherings Outside Ministerial Bungalows

Residents of buildings around the ministerial bungalows on Malabar Hill are holding a signature drive as part of their campaign against noise, traffic, and garbage created by political gatherings on the area's roads. A petition with the signatures, now being circulated in the area, will be submitted to the state chief minister's office and the local police station. The petition says that the crowds, massive vehicular activity, and noisy gatherings in the locality are unprecedented.

The Friends of Malabar Hill, an association of residents formed earlier this year, and the housing associations of 12 buildings, including EL Cid, Sunita, Sumangal, Sky Lark, Bay View, and Hill View, is organising the campaign. The letter mentions Varsha, the Chief Minister's home, the Sahyadri government guest house, and two other ministerial homes, Nandanvan and Agradoot, which are also reportedly used by Shinde, as locations that are of particular concern to residents. The local population is greatly disturbed by the use of loudspeakers well beyond the permissible limit, loud sloganeering, singing and speeches, says the letter.

'You will appreciate that Malabar Hill is a residential locality, and there are seniors, the sick and ailing, and children also living there. A peaceful and safe environment, is a basic right, the letter adds Pervin Sanghvi, a member of Friends of Malabar Hill, said they had complained to the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai in February 2023. "But the issue has not been resolved," said Sanghvi. "It is a residential locality. These are official gatherings."Tushar Prabhu, another member of Friends of Malabar Hill said, "Over some time, supporters have been assembling here for events. It did not happen earlier."

The residents said that garbage is dumped on the roads after these gatherings. They have also pointed out that the events and meetings at Varsha and the Sahyadri are resulting in traffic snarls and haphazard parking, jeopardising the lives of pedestrians. Disputes over vehicles have often led to verbal spats between the visitors and the traffic police, the letter says An official from Malabar Hill police station said there are gatherings outside party offices like Nandanvan. "This must be causing some noise, but the meetings are only outside a few bungalows," said the official who added that they have yet to receive any complaints from the residents.  

However, some residents of the area wondered why objections to the activities outside the bungalows are being raised now when the area has been grappling with the problem for years. "If there is no political angle, I do not know what is it," one resident commented, adding the issue of political gatherings in the area started in July 2022 when the Shiv Sena split into two factions.