MCG blocks Malibu entrance to clear way for footpath, residents protest

Gurgaon: Residents of Malibu Towne, a residential township in Sector 48, protested on Saturday and Sunday against MCG, after it began construction of a footpath right in front of the township's main gate, blocking it. Over 200 residents took to the streets to stop the ongoing construction work of the footpath. Currently, the township has one main gate from Sohna road and a few small entries from South City 2 road.

Sources in MCG said the corporation started building the footpath after the decision was jointly taken by the civic agency and traffic police in the wake of heavy traffic and some accidents on Sohna road.

According to residents, the closure of the main entry will lead to traffic jams inside the township, causing chaos. "Closing down the direct entry from our main gate to Sohna road is an absurd decision. The service road they want us to use as alternative, has been encroached upon by illegal parking and street vendors. If we have to take the service road from the Raheja mall to reach the Malibu Towne gate, it will take another 20-30 minutes," said Siddharth Baweja, a resident of Malibu Towne.

Alka Dalal, another resident, said, "Our protest was against MCG restricting our sole entry to Sohna road. The main entry of our 210 acre-colony of 6,000 residents, has been operational since 1999. We're protesting the fact that MCG didn't even bother to provide us an alternative."

Residents demanded MCG provide a proper alternative entry to the township. "We're not against the intention — traffic management on Sohna road — per se. However, for such a big colony, we need at least one big entry. The other gates, on the other side of the colony, are always choked," Dalal said.

An MCG official said, "Residents can easily take the service road from Raheja Mall to reach Malibu Towne. We'll make sure there's no encroachment on it."