Residents of Mankhurd’s Cheeta Camp have raised concerns over the degrading condition of a commemorative statue of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of India, on the VN Purav main road of the area, right next to the Trombay police station. According to the locals, the intersection around the statue is known as the ‘APJ Abdul Kalam Chowk’, but many are unaware that it is named because there is a memorial of the former president, which is often not visible due to illegal parking and its degrading condition makes it hard to recognise.
2022
Year the statue was built
Memorial of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam right next to Trombay police station
Maintenance neglected
. No maintenance done in the last 3 years
. Illegal parking ignored
. Safety risk
. Spot for anti-social elements
People speak to mid-day
Asif Sayyed, a resident, said, “When the statue was initially built, many were proud of having it in our area, and kids would learn about [then] president Kalam, but the lack of maintenance has made it a sour sight. There are now cars parked at the spot, blocking the view for people. In the evening, it becomes a spot for drinkers and smokers, which is very disrespectful.”
A teenager (name withheld) said, “Until a few weeks ago, I did not know about the statue’s existence in our area. I came across a video on social media, which talked about it, and the next day when I was passing through, I noticed its degraded condition. It is sad because we learn about the man in school. The lack of maintenance and civic responsibility has transformed the area into a gathering spot for anti-social elements.”
OfficialSeak
Usman Shikalgar, Sub-engineer, BMC maintenance department
The memorial was originally made by MHADA and was never handed over to us (BMC); hence, we cannot do the maintenance of the structure. Regarding parking and other illegal activities, we are taking regular action. Though our workers tow away vehicles parked in front of the memorial, by the evening, those who drive for ride-sharing apps also park at the spot, which is difficult to manage every day.”
Failure to act despite letters
Sayyed said that after noticing the condition of the statue, he wrote letters to the ward office, the local police, and the RTO but has not received any response. However, Sayyed said, in an X post that he made on March 8, the Mumbai Traffic Police and the BMC M East ward replied, saying that the complaint has been taken into account, and both authorities said that they would look into the matter.
