NMMC engineer listens to senior citizens’ concerns over recreation centre at Nerul garden | File Photo
Navi Mumbai: Breaking away from the common perception that government officials use public holidays for personal travel, a senior official from Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) spent his Good Friday listening to concerns of senior citizens in Nerul Sector 4. The visit aimed to address grievances, clarify doubts surrounding ongoing development work, and understand the needs of the elderly community.
The interaction took place at Netaji Palkar Garden, located in front of the NMMC’s departmental office. The garden is currently the site for the proposed Senior Citizens’ Recreation Centre, a project that had stirred some dissatisfaction among local residents who felt the space was too small. Many senior citizens had instead been demanding that the center be built in the adjacent playground to allow for better space and accessibility.
Responding to the concerns, local resident and labor leader Ravindra Sawant, who also serves as the spokesperson for the Navi Mumbai District Congress, organized a dialogue between the residents and Executive Engineer Umesh Patil from the Nerul division of NMMC. The discussion lasted over two and a half hours and included participation from several local women and Congress District Secretary Vidya Bhandekar.
During the meeting, the senior citizens shared that they had been following up with municipal authorities for several years, advocating for better facilities for the elderly. They also conveyed that they had previously met with the Municipal Commissioner regarding the same.
In response to their request for relocating the recreation center to the playground, Engineer Patil clarified that, as per municipal policy, such centers are to be constructed within designated garden spaces, and all work is carried out as per official regulations.
When asked about the proposed amenities, Patil informed the gathering that the center would feature a library, indoor games like carrom, a television, and separate toilets for men and women. He also mentioned that a five-foot-wide path would be reserved exclusively for morning walkers.
Local residents including Ravi Pujari, Deepa Mishra, Ashok Mahajan, Captain Ramesh Singh, R.K. Jain, Das Gupta, S. Kumar, Sheela Nair, Kavita Pujari, Akhila, Bharade Guruji, and More were present at the meeting.
