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Synopsis

A division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep V Marne on Friday disposed of a Public Interest Litigation challenging change of metro station name from Pathanwadi to Dindoshi.

The high court was informed by the Assistant Government Pleader that a committee has been formed to consider objections. The court then asked the petitioner to make representation before the committee. 

During the earlier hearings, the petitioner had argued that he had made representations before the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority. The high court had then questioned as to why steps were not taken on the objections made by the petitioner.

The plea claimed that renaming of 'Pathanwadi' Metro Station to 'Dindoshi' was in sheer violation of the policy framed by MMRDA. According to MMRDA's policy, when there are more than two stations in a revenue village, the nearest Wadi's name shall be considered for one of the stations.

However, in the present case, MMRDA had originally named the station on line 7 as 'Pathanwadi' said the petitioner while alleging that under undue political pressure and pursuant to requests of two MLAs, Atul Bhatkhalkar and Sunil Prabhu, the name of 'Pathanwadi' station was changed to 'Dindoshi' by the authority.

The plea pointed out that in the documents obtained under the RTI Act, MMRDA itself admitted that 'Dindoshi' is the name of a nearby revenue village and not of the nearest Wadi.

It was claimed in the plea that the renaming of the station was arbitrary and affected the sentiments of residents of 'Pathanwadi' and was therefore in breach of Article 14 of the Constitution.

The high court disposed of the PIL after directing the committee to consider the representation of the petitioner within 12 weeks.

The petitioner donated Rs 25 thousand to the Maharashtra Legal Service Authority out of the 1 lakh which was deposited as a precondition to prove bonafide of the plea.

"Counsel seeks refund of deposit of 1 lakh for entertaining PIL. The petitioner graciously submits that Rs 25000 be donated to the Maharashtra Legal Service Authority. In view of the same the registry shall remit 25 thousand and refund 75 thousand to petitioner," the order read.

Case Title: Naee Roshni Social Organisation vs MMRDA