The area under Andheri’s Teli Gali flyover has finally seen a transformation, as all the abandoned khatara vehicles parked there have been removed and the space cleaned thoroughly. This development follows mid-day’s report on the issue. After the report, local MLA Murji Patel visited the site and directed authorities to remove the vehicles and clean up the area immediately.
While residents had initially complained about the visual blight caused by the abandoned vehicles, the more serious concern was the fire risk posed by residual fuel in the scrap cars. Just days after Patel’s inspection, the area was cleared within 48 hours. On May 31, Patel posted on X, “This area had become a storage spot for scrap vehicles, creating significant fire and safety hazards. Following inspections with BMC, RTO, and police officials, strict clearance orders were issued and promptly executed.”
Ronit Jain, a resident, welcomed the clean-up but added, “The cleaning has happened, but now we wait for the garden or open gym. It might take time, but it would really help change the face of the area.” In the same X post, Patel confirmed that he had formally proposed to the BMC commissioner to convert the cleared space into a garden and open gym. This would help prevent the site from reverting into a dumping ground.
Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, a trustee of the Watchdog Foundation and one of the first to raise the issue, said, “The area is presently cleared of encroachment.” Dhaval Shah, director of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association (LOCA), praised the MLA’s action: “We are very happy that MLA Patel took the initiative to get the area cleaned and is now proposing to develop it further. The area is now mostly free of encroachment, barring a few rickshaws parked temporarily.”
Shah, who is in touch with the MLA, said LOCA has been invited to submit proposals for the development of the space to better serve the community. “MLA Patel has some great ideas. He wants to build an open gym and a garden where the elderly can spend time. He is attending a meeting on Monday, where he plans to present these proposals and move toward implementation.”
