People's power was on full display recently in Matunga, where the BMC wanted to install a robotic car parking tower right in front of the railway station on the Central Railway side. Citizens led by Chetan Trivedi, Dr Gaurang Vora, Kamlakar Shenoy and others banded together and obtained information under RTI. Armed with facts, they mounted a peaceful offensive against the BMC. It was clear that the project was aimed to help a builder who was having a project nearby. The FPJ backed the citizens from day one and the result was that the BMC was forced to scrap the project. We hope a similar project close to the historic Hutatma Chowk memorial is also scrapped. The sanctity of the memorial erected in memory of the 106 Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti martyrs, who were shot dead by the police on the orders of then CM Morarji Desai, will be totally destroyed. It is surprising that not one of our `netas' who never tire of talking about Marathi 'asmita' or pride have objected to this totally ill-conceived project. In fact, the entire heritage precinct should be developed in memory of the martyrs.
Nalli Nihari, A Satiating Dongri Visit
Passing through the busy road of Dongri's Char Null in south Mumbai, one is immediately struck by the aroma of 'nihari' being cooked out in the open. Mazzeh, a fine dining restaurant situated in the heart of Dongri, is known for its sizzlers. Of late, the 'nalli nihari' served at this place has been stealing the limelight. It takes at least nine hours of non-stop cooking in a large thick-bottomed 'kadai', which is done on the footpath outside the eatery, starting early in the morning. The 'nihari', cooked throughout the day, is available to customers only in the evening. And, it is worth the wait! Served with tender tandoori rotis, the gravy and the meat, all perfectly cooked, form an unbeatable experience. The very first morsel ignites the senses and lightens up the taste buds. A 'nihari' can easily be shared by two and what adds to the experience is the vibe of the ambience, which is a must for Gen Z and millennials these days. The staff makes sure they ask for your feedback as you are relishing the dish. You can't help, but nod in reverence with a grin of approval, courtesy the lip smacking spices heightening the taste of the broth. So next time you are around the renowned Mohammed Ali Road or Bhendi Bazar in the evening, don't forget to drop by this eatery for a truly 'mazzehdar' experience of the famed 'nalli nihari'. (Azhar Khan)
Perennial Problem Of Potholes
The rains are here, and so are the friendly neighbourhood potholes. We proudly call Mumbai the “urbs prima in Indis” or the first city of India. However, we have not been able to tackle the problem of potholes, which appear with great regularity each monsoon. The concreting of roads was seen as the only solution to this problem. But the work of concreting has been sub-standard at several places, and it won't be surprising if holes appear in them also. A senior civic official told us, “If asphalting is done honestly, we can have long-lasting and pothole-free roads as it was during the British era. But then spending thousands of crores on concreting results in a bonanza for officials and politicians.” The official added, “The cost at which cement concreting is done currently in Mumbai is much more than what is charged by contractors for national and state highways. The ongoing concreting work is nothing but a massive scam.” Meanwhile, will the BMC please ensure that all the manhole covers on the stretch of Veer Nariman Road from Hutatma Chowk to Churchgate are brought to the road level? Currently, vehicles do a rock dance because of the uneven surface.
Tailpiece
A wag wondered why south Mumbai is still called SoBo, while it should be called SoMu since the city has been renamed from Bombay to Mumbai. What do you say?
(Compiled by S Balakrishnan)
