All eyes on defence minister today, Bopkhel residents see ray of hope

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The residents want the CME to take up the matter with the High Court and bring to its notice the difficulties faced by them after the gates were shut.

Sable, who had met Parrikar in Delhi immediately after the CME stopped the entry of Bopkhel residents from the Dapodi side after directives were issued by the Bombay High Court, will himself meet the Defence Minister to resolve the issue. “I have already spoken to Parrikar about this. I will again raise the issue with him during his visit to Pune on Thursday. I will be with Parrikar right from the airport,” he said.

Sable said he was confident that the issue would be resolved “as Parrikar, during the meeting in Delhi, had sounded keen that residents should not be inconvenienced.”

PCMC Commissioner Rajeev Jadhav will also meet Parrikar.

Rohidas Rithe, a resident of Bopkhel, said residents of Bopkhel, Ganeshnagar and Ramnagar who have been affected by the CME’s decision are waiting with bated breath for the minister’s visit.

“The road’s closure has become a nightmare for us. It has agitated practically all residents of Bopkhel and nearby areas. Everyone seems to be wondering when this will be resolved. Even children are depressed,” he said.

A woman said that the route from Bopkhel to Dapodi used to take her less than five minutes. ���Now we have to take a circuitous route of 15 km from either Bhosari or Vishrantwadi to reach Dapodi which is taking  more than an hour,” she said.

The residents are also blaming the PCMC for their plight. “The PCMC failed to bring to the notice of the high court a copy of an agreement between CME and Bopkhel residents. The agreement was signed in 1967 when the land of Bopkhel residents was acquired by the Army. In the agreement, the CME had promised to allow the entry of Bopkhel residents from Dapodi,” Rithe said.

The PCMC chief agreed, saying, “In fact, a 1951 agreement also says residents should have the right of way. The road has been in use for 50 years and should be allowed. We will present this before the high court.” Jadhav said the high court had asked the district collectorate to find an alternative road. He said the district collectorate had conducted a study into the matter and had zeroed in on three alternative roads.

“We were about to place this before the high court when the matter flared up. Anway, we will take up the matter with Defence Minister on Thursday and are hopeful of a resolution of the matter at the earliest.”