Thoughts on Election 2016 USA

Let us unite to replace the “greater and lesser evil” with the good and just

BY Gulamhusein A. Abba

11.10.16

Today I mourn. Not because Hillary lost the election. I never wanted the “lesser evil” to win anyway. I mourn because the majority of the voters voted to the presidency of this great country a man not worthy of this honor. This is a sad reflection on what this country has become.

I, among others, advocated that people not vote for either Trump or Hillary because the parties they represent are for the rich and the powerful, the two arms of the same body, and the whole system  as it stood -- and continues to stand -- was a con game of good cop, bad cop. The need was to bring into being, not only at the presidential level but also in the Senate and the House at the Centre, State governments and local bodies leaders of these bodies and legislators who are not beholden for their election funding to money moguls but get elected by the support of the common people like you and me and are committed to ensuring justice, equality and a fair deal for the long exploited poor and the voiceless.

There were many who agreed that both the dominant political parties were the agents of the Wall Street giants. They admitted that both, Trump and Hillary, were “evil”. But so afraid were they of Trump becoming the President that they urged the voters to hold their nose and vote for the “lesser evil”, arguing that a vote for an alternative party would not only be a waste but in in effect would contribute to Trump’s victory. They voted according to their fears not their conscience.

It turns out it is their vote that was a waste. Had they voted for an alternative party they would at least have contributed to laying the foundations for a truly people’s party committed to peace, justice and meeting the needs of the poor and the helpless.

The Democratic Party played a shrewd game. Hillary collected millions of dollars and support from the elites. Bernie mobilized and energized the young with his impassioned speeches. The Democratic Party, unknown to Bernie, actively favored Hillary over Bernie. Once Bernie was defeated in the Primaries, Democratic Party leaders set about ensuring that Berne and his aficionados would pose no problem to them.  

 

Obama stepped in to help. He made a privately recorded video endorsing Hilary and sent it to her, without releasing it to the public or the media. He then made a personal call to Bernie, invited him to the White House and walked with him round the Colonnades, a rare honor. There he told Bernie of the video and urged him to throw his weight behind Hillary. That was enough to make Bernie succumb. He betrayed his supporters and endorsed the very woman whom he had so ruthlessly exposed during the Primaries. The least that he could have done is not ENDORSE Hillary and assure his loyal supporters that, as an Independent that he was, he would fight tooth and nail for the issues he had raised whoever won the election.

The lesson to be learnt is that it never pays to support “evil” out of fear as to the consequences that would follow if they did not. The guiding principle should always be to heed the voice of conscience.

We now hear talk of respecting our long tradition of accepting the outcome of the election, being “civil” to the man whom we rightly despised and reviled. This is nonsense.

It is our constitutionally guaranteed right to protest non-violently and make our voice heard. For that reason it is heartening to see that thousands poured into the streets all over the country soon after the election results became public, chanting “not our president!” The world needs to know that though the majority of the voters, voting out of fear, elected Trump as the President, there are millions in this country who do not approve of his being one.

In a strange way, Trump’s victory could very well turn out to be a blessing for the activists for justice, equality and freedom from the clutches of the rich and the powerful. They will realize the need to become more energized and more active in the revolution against the forces that have consigned them to living a hard and miserable life for so long.

To all those relatives and friends who held their nose and voted for Hillary, as those who out of disgust did not vote at all, I bear no anger. They did what they did because they felt it was necessary to do so out of an instinct for self-preservation. That they did so with holding their nose is proof that they knew what they were doing was wrong.

To all these relatives and friends I say that my heart aches with you. But we cannot let this crisis – for crisis it is – make us lose all hope and abandon the fight.

Instead, it is now time to wake up, see the realities and unite in the struggle, committed more than ever, to educate the people how beholden to the rich and the powerful are most of the legislators, both Republicans and Democrats, how they are the kept partners of the Wall Street moguls, how the one percenters rule the roost and how necessary it is to flush these legislators out of the legislatures and replace them with legislators who are mindful of the environment and the needs and aspirations of the long neglected common people.

Prison reform, environment, climate change, living wage, equal opportunity in higher education for all, health care, protecting Social Security, marriage equality, immigrant rights, Standing Rock, unending wars, support of tyrannical undemocratic powers and funding them lavishly and so many other, human rights and justice issues are crying out for attention.       

We have our work cut out for us if we want to create a better world and make America REALLY great again.

Let the genuine, sustained, nonviolent, revolution begin, confident that though it may take more than a couple of election cycles to achieve our aims, victory will ultimately be ours.

Viva the struggle.

Fighting cancer - Separating the chaff from the grain

By Gulamhusein A. Abba

Interested in this subject, I have spent hours upon hours researching it and have learnt a lot

What I have found is that somehow scam artists find out that there is cancer in the family and an avalanche of cancer cure ads keep popping up on your computer. Even without these, the cancer patient’s family goes hunting for cures. Many alternative cures are encountered. Some multimillion dollar facilities exist that present themselves as cancer cure clinics. Many of these are sham and the cancer patient families are defrauded of thousands upon thousands of dollars.

I know how eager cancer patients and their families are to find a successful treatment for the cancer. Please do not fall prey to scammers who prey on the fears and strong desire of the families to do all they can for their family member.

Ask a hundred people and you will find a hundred “cures”. Many of them may be genuine but not all cancers are the same and what may work for one kind of cancer may not work for another.

There are many things I have found and some are really promising. Many attest to their efficacy. But here again, all cancers are not the same. Besides no scientific clinical studies have been done in respect of them and so I will not refer to them for now.

I know how eager patients and their families are to find a successful treatment for the cancer. Please do not fall prey to scammers who prey on the fears and strong desire of the families to do all they can for their family member.

Ask a hundred people and you will find a hundred “cures”. Many of them may be genuine but not all cancers are the same and what may work for one kind of cancer may not work for another.

There are many things I have found and some are really promising. Many attest to their efficacy. But here again, all cancers are not the same. Besides no scientific clinical studies have been done in respect of them and so I will not refer to them for now.

However, I have come across one “treatment” which is recognized by The Cancer Society of America AND  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

It was told to my sister by a very dear friend of hers whose wife had cancer. My sister asked her doctor about it and he was non-committal (established medical caregivers have historically opposed valid cures not recognized by their assocition. Examples: chiropractic, acupuncture, marijuana to name just three).

Here it is. It’s name is IP6 available in powder or herbal form over the counter in pharmacies and herbal stores

                  

It essentially fights cancer germs, kills some of them, slows down the progress of the disease and helps ease the pain inherent in advanced cancer. In some cases it has been known to overcome cancer cells.

IP6 is a herbal supplement. It has no adverse effect on any other treatment the patient may be receiving.

IP6, also known as inositol hexophosphate or phytic acid, is a sugar molecule with six phosphate groups attached. It is composed of inositol (one of the B vitamins) bound with six molecules of phosphorous. IP6 was first identified in 1855, but has only recently been researched as a preventative and cure for cancer as well as heart and liver diseases, kidney stones, Parkinson's disease, and more. It is also a powerful antioxidant, immune system enhancer, and booster of natural killer cells. Foods that are significant sources of IP6 include dried beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, rice, wheat germ, corn and sesame.

Here are some statement from The Cancer Society of America. (NOTE: All highlighting and emphasis is mine and does not appear in the original).

“Animal and lab research has found that IP6 might be effective in preventing tumors from forming and slowing tumor growth … IP6 might help ease the side effects of chemotherapy and improve quality of life in people with cancer …..proponents claim it slows or reverses the growth of various forms of cancer, including breast, colon, and prostate cancers. It is thought to be a compound that blocks the action of free radicals. It may help to prevent the abnormal signals that tell a cancer cell to keep growing from reaching the cell’s nucleus. Some research shows IP6 slows abnormal cell division and may sometimes transform tumor cells into normal cells.

“The existence of IP6 has been known for several decades. Interest in its potential anti-cancer properties emerged in the mid-1980s when Abulkalam Shamsuddin, MD, PhD, a pathologist at the University of Maryland, began to conduct research studies on inositol in the lab. He published a book on the subject in 1998. He and other researchers continue to study the effects of IP6.

“Laboratory studies of cell cultures have shown that IP6 may help put cancer cells on a path toward normal cell death and may help keep them from spreading to other parts of the body. It may also affect the growth of blood vessels that supply the tumor and the immune system in general. These studies have shown IP6 may have activity against cancer of the pancreas, breast, prostate, colon, and other types of cancer.

Results of some studies in cells have also suggested that IP6 may help certain chemotherapy or hormone therapy drugs work better.

“Studies in animals have found that supplementing the animals’ diets with IP6 may help prevent tumors from forming in the prostate, lung, colon, skin, and other areas

“This product is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States.

.

“When taken in moderate amounts, IP6 appears to be safe”.

For Memorial Kettering Sloan Cancer Center’s take on IP6 click here:

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/inositol-hexaphosphate#field-herb-mechanism-of-action

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/inositol-hexaphosphate

Note: If you cannot find a pharmacy or herbal store that carries IP6 you can order it from Amazon Click here for details and prices:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_5_3?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=inositol+ip6&sprefix=IP6%2Caps%2C281&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ainositol+ip6

The best is Dr. Shamsuddin's Original IP-6 - Gold Immune Support Formula With Stevia Tropical Fruit Flavor - 14.6 oz. Dr.Shamsuddin carried out research on it.

The best method of taking IP6 is as follows. However, it can be taken plian by itself.

First thing in the morning have a glass of warm water with IP6, preferably in powder form.

30 minutes later take this home prepared mixture:

2 to 3 table spoons of yogurt

1 tablespoon of flax oil

½ teaspoon of turmeric

½ teaspoon of black pepper

First mix yogurt and flax oil vigorously till you cannot see any trace of oil.

Then mix in the turmeric and black pepper.

With this mixture, take any fruit of choice.

Repeat the IP6 with warm water once or twice a day 30 minutes before a meal

Further tips: cut down drastically on intake of salt.

                      Get rid of sugar. Use honey instead.

Saving Dorothy Day Hospitality House

Note: The original brief did not contain any illustration. They have been added here to help the reader get a netter understanding of what Dorothy Day Hospitality House is all about.

Dorothy Day Hospitality House (DDHH) has been in existence for years on Spring Street. It provides free food to the homeless every day and also provides shelter to a limited number of the homeless every night.

Suddenly, coinciding with the building of the million dollar housing project known as Kennedy Flats, the city claims that DDHH is in violation of its permit and has served a Cease and Desist order against the DDHH. This has been appealed against and the Zoning Board of Appeals is now seized of the matter.

I have submitted a brief to the Zoning Board of Appeals in favour of DDHH. It will help understand the issues involved.  Here is what it states:

Respected Chairman, Members and Alternate Members of the Zoning Board of Appeals,

I humbly request that you treat this submission as an unsolicited amicus curiae on behalf of the Dorothy Day Hospitality House (DDHH) and its beneficiaries.

I submit that this Board is not confined to and should not confine itself to merely ascertaining whether there existed a prima facie case (noncompliance with the requirement of renewal of permit) which mandated action by the Zoning Board but should also consider if the drastic action taken (issuance of a Cease and Desist order) is appropriate for a technical offence and the effect such an order would have.

Regrettably, in spite of you, Mr. Chairman, insisting at the outset that all comments, submissions and arguments be confined strictly to the question of whether the DDHH was required to renew the application issued to it by the city in 1983 and whether it was in violation of that requirement by not renewing it --- in spite of this insistence, various persons introduced extraneous issues. Included among these were P.J.Prunty, Executive Director of the City Center, who submitted a written argument in favor of the Cease and Desist order, and the owner of Two Steps Downtown Grille. Some residents of Spring Street narrated the ‘dangers’ they faced allegedly as a result of DDHH welcoming all people ‘no questions asked’.

Since the Board has been exposed to these allegations, they are likely to influence the thinking of the Board and need to be dealt with, which I will do after dealing with the crux of the problem before the Board, namely the alleged violation of the requirement to renew the permit.

The City contends that DDHH was so required to do and it having failed to do so it is in violation of the permit. The Zoning Board is therefore not only legally justified in issuing the Cease and Desist order but, in the words of this Boards Chairman at the last hearing, it was “incumbent’ on it to do so.

The DDHH contends that it was NOT required to so renew the permit and therefore the Cease and Desist Order has no legal legs to stand on.

Who is right?

One way to find out is to look at the written records which, in this case, are not very helpful. An important letter which would have thrown light on the subject is missing from the record and no one knows where it has gone.

Another way often adopted in legal proceedings is to look at the behavior and actions of the parties concerned. Here the City did nothing for more than 30 years about DDGG not renewing its permit which the City claims expired in 1984. Not that the City was not aware of DDHH continuing its operations from Spring Street. Various agencies of the City carried out several inspections of DDHH during this period. And, it appears, the City did issue to DDHH a dormitory license up until 2008

A member of this Board at the last hearing remarked that it was not for the City to remind DDHH about renewing its permit but for DDHH to go to the City to renew the permit. That may be so though normally if a permit holder is in violation the City does inform it as soon as possible’

Also, if DDHH was in violation of the permit, it was not only the duty of the Zoning Commission to take action against it but, again to use the language of one of the members of this Board, it was “incumbent” on it to do so. That it did not do so for more than thirty years goes to strongly indicate that there was no violation by DDHH.

On the DDHH side we find it is a law abiding entity. It has passed al the inspections by various City agencies. It has also modified its original policy of welcoming everybody “no questions asked” and has debarred dangerous elements from using the shelter and, to avoid becoming an ‘enabler’, even limited the total number of days (nights) a person can use the shelter (see Exhibit A attached). It is reasonable to believe that if it had been required to renew the permit every year, it would have done so.

Further, there is the legal concept of Estoppel to be considered.

In this case there is a THIRD consideration to be taken into account, a serious one.

The City woke up to the fact that DDHH was in violation of its permit not because some diligent clerk went through the records and found the violation. It was found by a city BUSINESSMAN who was researching police calls to the shelter. He is one of those who wants DDGG to be removed from the downtown area, if not closed down.

Even more significant is WHEN this discovery was made. It was made last summer and coincided with the construction of the multi-million dollar Kennedy Flats complex just behind the city bus pulse point in the downtown area.

It is well to remember that the City has gone out of its way to help the developer of this project. First the City granted a large tax deferral to the developer. Then it pushed out the day workers from the park just opposite to the complex by “gentrifying” it and fencing it. The City then even uprooted the benches from the bus pulse point to prevent homeless people using them after the buses stopped plying at 6 pm and the benches were no longer needed by the commuters. In doing this the City ignored the hardship it was causing the bus commuters. Now they have to stand as they wait for the bus they need to arrive. The buses run on the hour and so if you go to the pulse point at 10 past the hour you have to stand for 50 minutes for the bus.

It should be obvious that the City is most eager to make the downtown area as pleasing to the higher class renters for whom the luxury apartments are built and whom the developer, the city and downtown businessmen are hoping to attract.

DDHH is seen a sore spot by all these elements and the alleged noncompliance by DDGG to renew its permit is apparently just a pretext to issue the Cease and Desist order.

It was pointed out by a member of this Board that complaints against DDHH by residents of Spring Street, where the DDHH is located, pre-dated the construction of the Kennedy Flats. This is irrelevant because the City did not issue the Cease and Desist order at that time.

Taking into account all these facts, I submit that the Cease and Desist order has nothing to do with the lawlessness existing at Spring Street, nothing to do with the alleged failure of DDHH to renew its permit but has been issued to facilitate the occupation of the luxury apartments and to meet the demands of the avaricious business and property owners eager to attract uppity tenants and more business to the downtown area.

I am all for increasing business in the downtown area but not on the backs of the poor and homeless.

The City has already gone above and beyond what it is required to do to help the developer of the Kennedy Flatsthat the Cease and Desist order is malafide and strike it down.

I IMPLORE this Board not to become an accomplice in the efforts of the City to close or push out the DDHH shelter from Spring Street, uphold DDHH’s appeal and quash the Cease and Desist order.

Coming to the other issues raised. These are three.

1. The ‘no questions asked’ policy is drawing undesirable elements to the area and these create a law and order situation and pose a threat to the residents. A large number of phone calls to the police has been cited.

 

Rebuttal: Though a “no question asked” policy did exist initially, the DDHH put severe restrictions since then. Please refer to the sections highlighted in yellow in the attached Exhibit A.

As for the large number of police calls, please see sections highlighted in blue in the attached Exhibit A

2. DDHH has become an enabler. It enables people to remain homeless rather than requiring them to take actions to address their needs and get them into housing

Rebuttal:  Please see sections marked in green in the attached Exhibit A

3. The location of the DDHH close to downtown is detrimental to the economic growth of the City. It prevents more people coming to downtown and prevents more businesses starting in downtown.

Rebuttal: There is no Empirical evidence for this claim. In fact, it can be argued that DDHH is a historic site and can well be turned into a tourist attraction.

EXHIBIT A

DOROTHY DAY HOSPITALITY HOUSE

SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS

                                                                                                                                   

The Dorothy Day Hospitality House is a private, non-profit organization that provides essential community services that would otherwise need to be funded by the City of Danbury. The majority of the homeless people sheltered here are natives of Danbury and its environs.

Our shelter is designed to be a temporary base that both provides guests with critical daily resources (bed, shower, and laundry service) and incents them to take the necessary steps to get back on their feet and secure permanent housing and employment.

Guests are required to register with the Coordinated Access Network and Connecticut’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and referred to agencies with resources that address individual needs, such as mental health and substance abuse issues.

Dorothy Day House also partners with Off The Streets, a 501c3 organization which provides security deposits, furniture and household goods to homeless people with a source of income. Since its inception in 2009, Off The Streets has successfully placed more than 400 individuals (100 in 2015 alone) – many of them previously guests in our shelter - in permanent housing in Danbury.

Description of the Facility

·         Operating since 1982

·         Free-standing, off-street building located behind 11 Spring Street, Danbury

·         Beds for 16 guests (male and female) and I volunteer

·         2 shower stalls

·         Commercial clothes washer and dryer for guest clothing and bed linens

Shelter Operations

·         Open 50 weeks (350 nights) per year

·         Open at 9:00 PM, closed at 6:30 AM – not open during the day

·         Doors locked at 10:00pm – no one enters or leaves until morning

·         Security guard from 6pm to 10pm daily to ensure people do not congregate on Spring Street and facilitate orderly opening process

·         16 bed shelter represents a relatively small percentage of people served at Dorothy Day vs 70/day at the soup kitchen

·         Managed by seven experienced weekly coordinators (average 20 years experience) and nightly volunteers (40)

·         Training required for all new volunteers

·         Volunteer manual and written procedures for volunteers to follow

·         Professional cleaning service for the facility twice weekly

·         Pest extermination service including separate bedbug specialist monthly

·         Pest extermination service including separate bedbug specialist monthly

OROTHY DAY HOSPITALITY HOUSE SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS

Guest admission policies

·         All guests must sign written pledge cards to comply with all shelter regulations before first being admitted

·         Shelter open to adults, both men and women

·         Guest stay limited to 30 nights during warmer months – even if empty beds are available – to incent people to find housing

·         No admission to anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs

·         No admission to anyone on suspension for breaking shelter rules

Shelter rules

·         No loitering on or near the premises before 8:45 PM

·         Sobriety: no use of alcohol or drugs on the premises

·         Safety: no weapons allowed

·         No one leaves or enters after door closes at 10:00 PM without special permission

·         Guests awakened 5:30 AM, and must leave before 6:30 AM

·         Do not disturb the peace

Violation of these rules results in suspension, often for weeks or months at a time

Community Interaction

·         Coordinating with the Danbury City Shelter administration on homeless community matters, including annual planning meetings

·         Cooperating with Danbury City Shelter nightly in securing guest beds for all in need

·         Directing guests to 211 service when shelters are full, and often driving guests to motels as directed here

·         Employing security guard service to reinforce our no-loitering rule before the shelter opens, and act as a deterrent against any behavior that would disturb the peace

·         Proposing cooperation with neighbors and Danbury Police through a Neighborhood Watch program to strengthen neighborhood security

Misconceptions about the Dorothy Day shelter:

• Misconception 1 -- There are no rules at Dorothy Day House and no consequences for bad behavior.  
• The Facts --

·         Bad behavior is not tolerated and will result in guests being banned from Dorothy Day House

·         All kitchen and shelter guests are required to sign a pledge indicating their willingness to follow Dorothy Day’s rules (ex no one admitted under the influence of alcohol or drugs) and not to congregate on Spring Street.  Pledge cards  include photos of guests for identification.   If guests do not live up to the pledge, they are not provided services at the kitchen or shelter.  

2) Misconception 2 --Dorothy Day Hospitality House enables people to remain homeless rather than requiring them to take actions to address their needs and get them into housing.  

The Facts

·         The number of days people may stay at Dorothy Day House is limited to 30 days during the non-winter months to incent people to seek permanent housing.  

·          Shelter guests at Dorothy Day House are required to get connected to services through the Coordinated Access Network, which registers people in Connecticut's HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) and directs people to agencies that have the resources to address their individual needs (such as mental health, substance abuse) .

·         Dorothy Day House volunteers have taken an active role in getting people into housing by forming Off The Streets, a related 501c3 organization which provides security deposits, furniture and household goods to homeless people with a source of income.  

As a result of the efforts of many people in Danbury, the number of homeless people in Danbury has started to come down.   The population at Dorothy Day shelter and the overflow shelter was 20% lower in 1Q2016 vs 2015.

Changes at Dorothy Day House

As a result of neighborhood, business and government input, the following changes have been made:

• Security guard hired from 6pm to 10pm daily to prevent people congregating on Spring Street
• Removed wording from website that "all are welcome with no questions asked"
• Pledge cards instituted (see above)
• Reinforced with our guests the importance of being good neighbors
• Shelter from the Cold Program *(6pm through 8pm -- November through March) moved from Spring Street to William Street (St James AME Church)

Issue: Police Calls from Spring Street

In the one year period from July 2014 through July 2015, a Freedom of Information request reported that 693 police calls were made from Spring Street.   Dorothy Day House also requested information from the police department. The  report we received contained 703 calls, and the police department records department worked with us to help us understand the nature of the calls on the report.

• Of these 703 police calls, 443 were to 11 Spring Street and 260 were to other addresses on Spring St.
• Of the 443 calls to 11 Spring St, 278 were really police issues and 165 dealt with medical issues (ex accompany EMT)
• Of the 278 police issue calls, 213 dealt with police responses to situations and 65 were scheduled calls (ex
• Of the 213 police response calls, 93 (<2 120="" 7am="" and="" closed.="" during="" hours="" in="" o:p="" operation="" per="" pm="" shelter="" the="" to="" was="" week="" were="">

Of the 93 calls during the time the shelter was open, 43 calls (<1 50="" 6am-7am="" 7am="" and="" calls="" closed="" doors="" during="" entering="" guests="" leaving="" lights="" o:p="" or="" out="" per="" pm-10pm="" pm="" shelter="" the="" through="" times="" week="" were="" when="">

Conclusions from Police Call Reports

• The number of police calls associated with the Dorothy Day House shelter is substantially lower than reported when taking into account medical calls reported in call statistics, routine scheduled calls and calls when the shelter is not open.   Either <2 all="" are="" calls="" day="" doors="" dorothy="" during="" hours="" is="" locked="" made="" o:p="" of="" open="" or="" per="" police="" shelter.="" shelter="" the="" to="" week="" when="">

Similar calls to other facilities (Danbury Hospital and Library) are in the same range (1-2 per week)

Mumbai's grden undr the bridge

WOW - Is this India ??? It just goes to prove that there are people in our nation who believe in “Ask not what your country can do for you — say and do what you can for your country.”

Mumbai’s first garden-under-flyover was finally inaugurated on Monday after the dedicated hard work of many Matunga residents. Named Nanalal D. Mehta Garden, it is located under the Tulpule Flyover on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Road.

The garden is the brainchild of ‘One Matunga’ group, which consists of residents in the area who came together to protect this stretch from encroachment and misuse.

Soon after the flyover was made open to the public about four years ago, it started turning into a hangout zone for hawkers, gamblers, drug addicts, etc. It was then that the residents of Matunga took over the responsibility to prevent this from happening.

“A few residents informed me about the encroachers and we took it up with the F/North ward (Municipal Corporation Of Greater Mumbai), requesting them to barricade the entire stretch,” Nikhil Desai, a Matunga-based activist toldDNA.

Once the area was barricaded, about 40 people crowd-sourced funds and hired 24X7 private security to look after it for two years. They also used to get 10-12 BMC sweepers to clean the stretch and ensure that it does not become a dumping ground.

In 2011, they started approaching various government authorities with the idea of developing a small garden in that space and got the final approval in 2014. After successful petitioning, the BMC began to redevelop the area in June 2015. Today, this is the only encroachment-free flyover in Mumbai.

The garden has been designed to look like the Narmada River. Engineers and architects studied the flow of the river and tried to replicate it on the garden pathway. The 600 metre pathway is blue in colour with a replication of rock formations as found on the banks of River Narmada. A granite block in the garden carries information about the landmarks on the way to the river, such as temples, and the region halfway through the stretch has been designed to look like the Narmada ghat where people can sit. The garden has 300 lights and 11 rotatable CCTV cameras to ensure safety.

“To get a space in such a crowded area is a boon. It’s also fun as I meet my building friends here and we finish our walk together,” Kritida Patel, a resident of Kapole Niwas told The Times of India. The garden is open from 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 9.30 pm.

Have a look at the amazing work: