City mayor Sunil Prabhu thinks that the geotubes used for the conservation of Dadar Chowpatty are a threat to his security. To prevent the beach erosion, Maharashtra Maritime Board has undertaken a project of laying geotubes at Dadar Chowpatty. The work has been carried out at the behest of local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) MLA Nitin Sardesai. However, the mayor has objected to this by saying they could prove a security threat to the mayor’s bungalow, which is just next to the beach . “Due to the geotubes, the height of beach will rise and there is every possibility that anyone can enter the mayor’s bungalow by climbing the protection wall,” he said. According to civic officials, even during the high tide, the Dadar Chowpatty was open to tourists. However, since the last decade, the beach has been undergoing erosion due to strong tidal waves. This has also posed danger to nearby structures like at Chaityabhoomi, mayor’s bungalow and Hinduja Hospital. The mayor has also sought a meeting of civic officials with the Maharashtra Maritime Board to decide about the measures for the security of his bungalow. However, Mr Sardesai has scoffed at the security concerns by saying additional security guards can be deployed to ensure the security of the mayor’s bungalow. “To protect the Dadar Chowpatty and nearby buildings, geotubes are very needed,” he said. Civic sources have said that the controversy has political motivations. The Shiv Sena, which ruled this Marathi-dominated Dadar, is now struggling to retain their dominance in the area. After the defeat in Assembly polls, the party again suffered an embarrassment in the civic elections at the hands of the MNS last year.
