Bandra, the Queen of Suburbs, one of the posh localities in the city of dreams attracts people from all the walks of life – be it the ones who fancy cosmopolitan lifestyle or the ones who want to dwell in a multifaceted neighbourhood. The Queen has it all – from heritage villas to high-rise buildings, from quaint cafes to swanky restaurants, from street bazaars to designer stores. But is that it? Nope, I’m here to uncover a hidden spot which is not known to many Bandraites.
What do you think – does the queen receive the royal treatment, the one she deserves? Bandra is claimed to be one of the safest neighbourhood in suburban Mumbai. Home to over 3–4 lakhs resident, the upkeep and maintenance of the Queen is at par with other coveted localities.
Bandra has treated me well since I shifted back to India in 2013 and this is the place I call “Heaven on Earth”. Though every time I walk down this street, I get shivers. The darkest spot of glorious Bandra sits quietly behind the bustling Carter Road. I want to shine some light on this hidden spot of Bandra where till date there are no street lights. Yes, we stay in the 21st century and one of the important centres of the financial capital of India. I know it’s hard to swallow but the reality is: The Queen has her dark side…
This alley of about 200–250 metres, stretches from Yummies in Rizvi complex to Baskin Robbins in Union Park. Residing a few blocks away, I’m a frequent user of this street till the sun calls it a day. Passing by this street after dusk is only for the brave hearts. This orphaned street, with no name, is trying to get adopted by the municipality from decades but attempts till date are abortive.
Can you guess the place? Most of you would have got it right. For those who are still clueless, this street can give you a FREE bumpy ride or if you want to get spooked this is your go-to street. Jokes apart, this infamous street is recently gaining traction for all things illegitimate. To top it up, it serves as a junkyard for the municipality to dump chopped trees and muck.
While interacting with locals residing nearby, I was amazed to realise that this street was more notorious then I could have ever thought of. A druggist’s den, urinal for auto drivers, trash bin for the locals and municipality, safe site for robbers, lover’s paradise, an ideal destination for eve-teasers, this dark lane has silently accommodated a series of anti-civic activities without uttering a word. The patchy road which is yet not electrified is surely uninviting for those who dislike vexatious experiences.
A nearby resident, Bandraite from birth, mentions: “Once upon a time this street was lit up by Priya Dutt with solar lights. It wasn’t long before it returned back to normal as the solar lights and panels were pilfered. And till date this street resides in the darkness, it was born in. Last year, one of our neighbours was a victim when robbers snatched her gold chain finding her unaccompanied. They registered an FIR but still, the culprits are undiscovered. We completely avoid using this street to ensure our safety.”
Stephen Noronha, a social activist, does whatever it takes for the welfare of the community. He recently spearheaded the task of brushing up this street after municipality discarded the chopped trees and gutter waste here. Noronha says, “One fine morning when I was passing through this street, I was annoyed as the trees and waste material were stacked up on both the sides leaving room for barely one car to pass by. All my pleas to the concerned officer went unattended under the cover of ‘lockdown‘. And then Twitter came to my rescue. I voiced out my concern to all the higher-ups in the government on Twitter and this street is now spick and span after 10-12 days of work. Thanks to the bird app and my friend – Kapil Bhatia who helped me in resolving this matter.”
Swapna Mhatre, corporator of Ward # 100, confidently says: “The fate of the street remains unchanged from last 4-5 decades. I‘ve been on the move to get this street out of its dark fate and I’m happy to see that my hard work is materialising. After a series of meetings with senior officers in the municipality, it is very much likely that this street will be soon adopted by BMC under 63k and will be treated fairly like other streets in the vicinity. It’s famous for its notorious activities, I know, and hence this is my dream project. My phone doesn’t stop following up with the BMC officials to get the submitted draft approved and once it is approved, the installation work for light poles will begin in two-three months. Once this street is lit up, I am sure other improvements will follow and the grabbers would then avoid using the street.” Ahh finally, there is some respite in sight. But it doesn’t mean that we should drop our guard down till one fine night we can see this street gleaming and glistening.
