Builders, Bandra bungalow owners, parties protest

Mumbai: Soon after the list of proposed additions to the city's heritage list was put up, a few voices of satisfaction were almost drowned out by howls of protest from the builder lobby, disgruntled house owners and parties like the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. 

    "Before allotting Grade I status to Shivaji Park and its precincts, local residents should have been consulted. There are senior citizens living in the area and once it is declared as a heritage precinct, there will be a full stop to the efforts of redevelopment. This is a trap," said local MLA Nitin Sardesai of the MNS after distributing circulars door-todoor, urging citizens to oppose the move. 
    The Shiv Sena has requested citizens to submit their objections to mayor Sunil Prabhu. 
    Angry protests came in from the suburbs, too, about private properties and bungalows making it to the heritage list. The Salsette Catholic Cooperative Housing Society in Bandra (West), which owns 190 plots, may have some 27-odd added to the list. "We have launched a strong protest against this unjust proposed reservation, as in most cases these are going to be developed to provide accommodation to our leasees and their growing families," said society secretary Cornel Gonsalves. 
    Redevelopment of six of the listed plots started 10 years ago and one of them is the final stages. "The principal of natural justice demands that notices should have been sent to us and not be silently put up on the BMC website," Gonsalves added. 
    In a statement, builders have expressed their apprehension to the BMC, saying their dreams were being 'shattered'. 
The 'grain' which consists of smaller, perhaps less known structures, is extremely important to the fabric of the city and must be conserved. Most of the old bungalows that are privately owned should be preserved Vikas Dilawari | 
CONSERVATION ARCHITECT 
If any structure is to be included on the heritage list, it must have some historic significance. I can understand Veer Savarkar's residence or the mayor's bungalow being tagged as a heritage structure but to bring in the entire Shivaji Park precinct makes no sense Abhay Deshpande | 
SHIVAJI PARK RESIDENT