Days after asking 2 Bandra cemeteries to give up land, BMC withdraws notices

The BMC on Friday withdrew its notice to the century-old St Peter’s Seaside Cemetery in Bandra (West) on taking over a portion of the plot for a road-widening project. A similar notice also sent to the Bandra Bene Jewish Cemetery located across the St Peter’s cemetery was also withdrawn. In a notice to the trustees of the cemetery, the BMC said, “As per the request for reconsideration of affected portion of cemetery in the proposed widening of existing road, MLA Ashish Shelar has represented this matter for reconsideration on its merit. It is to inform that your representation is being forwarded to the competent authority for further needful. However, the notice served upon you on January 2, 2023 stands withdrawn.” The letter was undersigned by assistant municipal commissioner Vinayak Vispute. “I spoke to BMC Commissioner and demanded them to withdraw notice for land acquisition of St Peter’s Bandra cemetery space for Road widening. Accepting the community and my legitimate stand, BMC H/West AMC, has withdrawn St.Peter Cemetry land acquisition notice for Road widening,” tweeted Shelar, the local BJP MLA from Bandra (West). The BMC had issued a notice to cemetery on January 2, giving the trustees seven days to vacate the portion of the plot. The notice had met with public outcry as activists and community members slammed BMC for hurting religious sentiments. “We had said that this decision is uncalled for and that an alternate method needs to be found. We have been told to submit our written response, which we will be doing,” said Father Fraser Mascarenhas, Parish priest and trustee of the cemetery on Friday. Mascarenhas had earlier said that BMC proposed to take over the compound wall of the plot, along with a portion that would have affected 30 graves. At present, there are over 400 graves at the cemetery. Opposition parties on Friday alleged that BMC’s action was aimed towards fulfilling vested interest of the real estate lobby. Referring to the recent amendments to the Development Plan (DP) of Mumbai, former Congress corporator from Bandra (West), Asif Zakaria said: “The initial plan for widening the road was up to 9.15 m. However, the DP has a provision of widening the existing road till 13.44 m. This means a larger portion of the cemetery plot is set to be taken away.” The DP was modified on September 12, 2022, after the Shinde-Fadnavis government took over. According to the latest modifications, a 13.4-m-wide road has been proposed till the end of Kadeshwari Road, where the cemetery is located. “A real estate project is coming up at the end of Kadeshwari Road, under the government’s real estate scheme… therefore, it is necessary for builders to link this part of the land with the original Bandstand promenade to woo buyers,” Zakaria alleged. NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto, in a statement, said that according to the DP, BMC is supposed to provide land for burial grounds but it has failed to do so and instead is taking away the existing land. “Even the court has ruled that graves are structures too. …A big move like this by the BMC must have political backing. If true, then it is a serious issue,” he added. Sources said that the plots on which the cemeteries stand are reserved for burial grounds. The BMC, meanwhile, maintained that no immediate action will be taken. “The road widening works were proposed keeping in mind the development works in the area. However, we have studied the recommendations of the community members and discarded the earlier proposal. The next course of action will be decided by senior authorities,” said an official.