Minister to inaugurate police chowkie after cops turn down invite

Locals rebuilt the Dhobi Ghat police chowkie themselves after repeated requests to do so were turned down by the BMC. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

After the cold response from Mumbai Police, residents have approached union minister Ramdas Athawale to inaugurate the police chowkie in Dharavi, which was built by their contributions, on March 1.

The Dhobi Ghat police chowkie was to be inaugurated on February 6 but it was cancelled as many police officers turned down the invitation. They allegedly avoided inaugurating the chowkie as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials had raised questions over the participation of cops in inaugurating an illegal structure.

The Dhobi Ghat police chowkie, under jurisdiction of Dharavi police station, was built by contributions from local residents after repeated requests to rebuild it were turned down by BMC officials. Some residents came forward under the Dharavi Nagrik Seva Samiti (DNSS) and raised around R3.50 lakh, to rebuild it.

Members of DNSS approached Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale after cops refused. "Saheb (Athawale) has agreed to inaugurate the chowkie when he was told that residents had built it. We don"t know how a chowkie which was there since 1991 has become illegal. But we are happy that the minister has agreed to come to Dharavi on March 1 to inaugurate it," said Siddharth Medhe, president of DNSS.

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