Radio Club backs Colaba’s ‘No Jetty’ protest, calls for relocation

An event at the Radio Club pier

The Bombay Presidency Radio Club, also known as the Radio Club, has thrown its weight behind protests against the jetty which is proposed to come up in Colaba. The jetty, which is slated to come up between the Gateway of India at one end and the Radio Club on the other, has riled Colaba locals, with many stating that the project will exacerbate an already fraught traffic situation in the South Mumbai pocket.

Locals have sent letters to political representatives stating, in a nutshell, that the jetty must not come up in the vicinity. The main concern is that the infrastructure of Colaba, especially its narrow roads leading to the Gateway area, is perennially choked, and cars and vehicles accessing the jetty will add to the bottlenecks.

This is also a tourist-dense spot with the Gateway of India and Taj Hotel, besides other hotels in the vicinity seeing a lot of tourist traffic. The jetty will compound the crowding. There is concern about the sea-facing promenade wall being broken too, with some expressing fears that aesthetics too will be affected.

Traffic nightmare

The Radio Club's latest letter in a slew of letters dated March 26, addressed to Arvind Sawant, Member of Parliament (MP), Mumbai South constituency, states, "We request the jetty be shifted near the Ballard Estate or Ferry Wharf because between the Radio Club and Gateway of India, this jetty will be a disaster with huge traffic jams".

The letter follows others sent to Rahul Narwekar, Speaker, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, highlighting the above concerns and adding that "Radio Club members and locals staying in the buildings opposite the proposed jetty will have difficulty as there will be chaos." Similar letters have been sent to Milind Deora, MP, Rajya Sabha, and the Mumbai Maritime Board last month requesting to, "stop this proposal for the new jetty."

Fears, concerns

The letters have been signed by Jt. Honorary Secretary of the Club, Prakash Mirchandani. "There have been many letters from individuals and housing societies/associations about fears and concerns about the jetty. We have many members who are Colaba, Cuffe Parade, and Marine Drive residents. As a club too, we are concerned about the parking problems this will create," said Mirchandani.

Pier or jetty?

He added, "We have had a couple of members who are confused and have asked whether the Radio Club pier will be removed for the jetty. We have assured them that this is different. The pier is part of the clubhouse and is used for functions, events, etc. It is part of our club complex and can be accessed directly. There are no boats at this pier. The jetty [where boats can be docked] is between the club and Gateway and has nothing to do with the Radio Club."

Sometimes, loosely, people dub this ‘Radio Club jetty,' and that leads to confusion, he added. Mirchandani continued, like others, "We are also worried about the sea-facing promenade, used by so many in the vicinity for walks, fresh air, etc. The promenade's continuity too may be broken by the jetty. As a Colaba institution, a landmark since 1928, we are part of the fabric of this neighbourhood. We also want to add our voice to the protest and highlight the problems the jetty will bring about."

The Radio Club will on April 5 host a meeting in the evening, where residents against the jetty and others seeking information or clarity, all part of the ‘No Jetty Movement in Colaba,' are to congregate and have a ‘chai pe charcha,' like they call it, in a show of people power to chart out the way ahead.