Manthan K Mehta, TNN Aug 29, 2010, 02.47am IST
MUMBAI: Demolition of bungalows in the leafy and exclusive oasis in Bandra's Pali Hill has been recorded with dismal regularity. But the pace of redevelopment and growth of multi-storey towers is staggering. Of the 32 bungalows that dotted Pali Hill's meandering roads two years ago, only 11 remain. Of the 11, owners of two stately homes are apparently in talks with developers: one was the residence of actor Sanjeev Kumar who passed away in 1985, and the other belongs to Naseer Hussain.
Madhu Poplai, secretary of Pali Hill Residents Association (PHRA) said, ''The entire landscape is undergoing a sea change. Most new buildings that are under construction are more than 20 storeys tall. The old buildings were no more than 10 storeys high.'' Today, around 1,170 families live in the neighbourhood, but urban planners expect the numbers to touch 3,000. ''I don't think Pali Hill has the infrastructure to take this additional load,'' he added.
Not too long ago, Pali Hill, home to corporate heads, veteran and reigning Bollywood stars, acquired an aura of exclusivity that even sought-after neighbourhoods in south Mumbai such as Malabar Hill and Altamount Road find hard to compete with. Bharat B Bhalla, filmwriter and resident, said, ''The bungalows were owned by British, Parsis and Catholics. Later, film stars, including Dev Anand, Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari, started moving into these properties. The stars took a liking to the place because of the anonymity it provided. Film personalities prefer crowds in the theatres but not in their neighbourhood.''
Those who can afford it are willing to pay a hefty sum for an apartment on Pali Hill. Compensation that owners of old bungalows receive helps allay the pain of losing one's family home to the march of development. Krishna-Raj, home to actor Rishi Kapoor, is the latest in a long line of celebrity bungalows that have gone under the hammer. His wife Neetu Singh told TOI that things are still at the planning stage.
Residents are not happy with the change. Dr Amitav Shukla, chairman of PHRA said, ''Though the BMC has declared this place a purely residential zone, new construction sites are attempting to change the character of the place by allocating commercial space including offices and preview theatres in these buildings.
The PHRA is not against people redeveloping their properties, but we will resist any attempt to commercialize any corner of this locality.''
