Don't wait for disasters, prevent them

Slums have been demolished to make way for towers. Occupants of these towers now park their vehicles on the access/exit road of the estate, eating into its width and narrowing it down dangerously

A report in this paper on Thursday, which highlighted shrinking access for owners of workspaces at an industrial estate in Prabhadevi has struck a chord with many others, proving this is a widespread problem in the city.

The report stated how a 45-year-old industrial estate with galas manufacturing flammable material is in the danger zone. A mammoth Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project next to this estate has affected the access road to the commercial zone. Slums have been demolished to make way for towers. Occupants of these towers now park their vehicles on the access/exit road of the estate, eating into its width and narrowing it down dangerously.

This means owners have to use a huge circuitous route to access their office. More alarmingly, though, emergency vehicles will find it difficult to enter or move out. The civic authorities have tried but failed to clear the way. Every entry and exit point overrun by vehicles is a threat to those inside the building.

We tend to wait for a disaster to happen and then wake up to the necessity of cleaning up the route so that there should be no recurrence. Why wait for a crisis to act? We have to become more proactive. It is shocking that owners have been complaining since two years, but their pleas have gone unheard. A classic case of passing the buck is evident here, resulting in the frustration and desperation of locals.

Every Republic Day, citizens and local leaders, decision makers of this metropolis take pledges. Let those in power make and keep a pledge to cut out red tape, and say no to sitting on files or passing the buck when it comes to safety issues. Most importantly, to look at 2019 as a year when we set a pattern to concentrate on prevention, rather than cure.

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