Nana Chowk residents wants to remove escalator from skywalk

Viraj Karnik, Sameer and Salil Karnik, Rajesh Shah, Vikram Mukhi, Dr M Sampura, K Shah and S Chowrasia outside the building

Nana Chowk residents added yet another page to their thick file documenting meetings and letters in their 'remove the skywalk escalator' mission. This out of service escalator which is one arm of the skywalk that came up in mid 2014, has barely functioned for a month since inception, "is nothing but a nusiance, a hazard and has made prisoners of us," say angry Ishwardas Mansion, a building which has the escalator right in front of its gate, barely two steps disance, residents.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Shaina NC visited the site on August 10, Thursday evening and facilitated a meeting between residents and MMRDA officials on Monday, August 21.

Dr M Sampura points to the grills in his balcony. Pics/ Bipin Kokate

Load of hogwash
Shaina NC said, "it is entirely feasible to move the escalator and separate it from the skywalk and install it elsewhere. I think this is a load of hogwash and a complete waste of public money. The previous government has a lot of answering to do about 'why' this skywalk and the escalator in particular has been installed here."

What more?
Residents have to meet MMRDA's Praveen Darade at the MMRDA office at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) on Monday, August 21 at 12 pm.

Locals say they are tired of showing proof that the escalator, "which has been practically defunct since inception, it came up a few days after the skywalk, is blocking Ishwardas Mansion building entrance." Says Viraj Karnik, pointing to how there is only a narrow gap between the esclator entrance and the building.

"In case of a fire, we are tandoori chicken," she says dramatically, while other residents concur.

The non-functional escalator

Thefts and losses
Commerical stores have felt the heat with the escalator practically covering their sigboard and entrance. Yogesh Shah and Bhavin S, partners of Mandvi, a 73 year-old medical store located just behind the escalator say, "Our walk in customers have fallen by half as the escalator hides our signboard and people cannot see the store entrance." Bhavin adds, "The escalator is a huge security risk. Around six months ago, my shop was burgled of some money at night. The locks were broken and money taken from the cash box. The thieves may have been emboldened by the fact that nobody could see them, as my shop is behind the escalator."

For Sunil Chowrasia, whose shop selling building material is located behind the escalator at the base of Ishwardas Mansion, "I have suffered a burglary too. Moreover, I actually changed the nature of my business. I had a ceramics store called Sai Ceramics. Once the escalator came in, the ceramics showroom became practically invisible. I changed to selling building material."

Viraj Karnik

Bell the cat
For residents, who have pressed for escalator removal earlier through numerous meetings with local representatives and letters, "it is a matter of who will bell the cat? Every local leader arrives at the site and sympathizes with us, yet, we do not see any action. They concur that the escalator is a hazard, it must be removed… but who can take action? Who will do so?" ask Viraj's sons, Sameer and Salil Karnik.

CM to CM
Another Ishwardas Mansion resident, Vikram Mukhi says, "this escalator, which is part of the skywalk was installed by former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh. Now, it should be removed by our current CM D Fadnavis, it is that simple."

Yogesh Shah and Bhavin Shah at Mandvi Chemist

Ambulance obstacle
For Ketki Shah, "it was heartbreaking that an ambulance could not park outside the gate of our building, when my late mother in law was unwell. We had to carry her for a distance, to even place her in the ambulance," says the lady pointing to a distance away where the ambulance had to park.

Grilled up
First floor resident Dr M Sampura, who had bought his flat from former Maharashtra CM Sushilkumar Shinde, is suffering greatly. The doctor's blacony is completely cut off from light or air, "the very purpose of a balcony is for light and air," he says, and there are, grills all around my home for security as the escalator is so close, anybody can claimb in if the windows were without grills," he says, pointing to the escalator, just an arm's distance away from his balcony. "I am a prisoner in my own home," he smiles wryly.

Trapped here
Rajesh Shah, resident, also adds, "we are trapped here. There is no escape in case of calamity like fire or an earthquake." In fact, Nana Chowk locals want the skywalk, itself removed but, "first, this escalator, which serves no purpose, at all must go. We hope to move forward at this meeting," says Ishwardas residents who have already started collecting signatures of locals for the upcoming meeting.