The shut petrol pump at Pedder road. | Pic credit: Zoru Bhathena
At the time when the number of vehicles is multiplying in Mumbai, the BMC has issued at least two public notices in the recent times proposing to delete the reservation of plot for petrol pumps under the development plan 2034 (DP). The city activists are objecting to the BMC’s move and questioning the application of brain by the state urban development department (UDD) for allowing the change or deletion in reservations of lands meant for ‘fuel station’.
In a notification issued last week, the BMC has proposed to delete an existing amenity plot of ‘fuel station’ on Pedder road next to Cumballa Hill Telephone exchange. The 985 sq mt plot currently has a defunct petrol pump and the corporation has proposed to include the said plot in adjoining Residential zone. The notification issued by DP department mentions that the owner of the plot Samir Bhojwani to delete the existing amenity of ‘fuel station’. The civic body has given citizens time of 30 days to submit their suggestions and objections.
However, activists allege that the authorities are under the pressure of the builders, who can construct residential towers once the plot is adjoined to adjacent residential zone.
“The BMC notification clearly mentions that UDD had earlier directed that any petrol/diesel pumps/CNG in the BMC jurisdiction should not closed nor there can be changed in user. Then how UDD allowed deletion of the plot reserved for Petrol pump on Pedder road?” said activist Zoru Bhathena.
In another notice issued in March, the BMC proposed to change existing amenity plot reserved for ‘fuel station’ on Juhu Road near Koliwada bus stop in K-West ward. In his objection against the proposed deletion, Bhathena highlighted that to de-reserve one or more petrol pump plots will cause hardships to the residents, who will have to travel longer distances to fill the fuel. If the existing petrol pump is closed, the distance between the two petrol pumps in the area will be 4 kms.
The hearing on suggestions/objections to de-reserve petrol pump on Juhu Road is scheduled on Monday, April 28 in BMC headquarters.
Resident of south Mumbai and activist Debi Goenka said that if the government is not actively working on policies to decrease use of private vehicles, it must ensure motorists have sufficient fuel stations at regular intervals.
“The government can easily start the petrol pump at Pedder road which is shut from quite some time. But it chooses it de-serve the plot. People avoid buying CNG or electric vehicles due to the huge queue at CNG stations and lack of charging points for EVs. If more petrol pumps are shut, it takes away even CNGs and charging points, as most of the pumps facilitate it. If deputy chief minister, who has driven a rickshaw for years, do not understand importance of petrol pumps, I wonder who will,” Goenka said.
“The developers will commercially exploit the plot at high FSI. More residential towers will come up, adding number of vehicles in the already congested area, with no petrol pump nearby,” Goenka added.
