Mira Bhayandar: The famous Sunny Deol dialogue “Tarikh-pe-Tarikh” (date after date) from a courtroom scene in the film Damini aptly describes the ironical situation of the First-Class Judicial Magistrate and Civil Judge (junior division) court in Mira Road which has missed multiple deadlines and is still awaiting to be inaugurated for addressing legal issues of citizens in the twin-city.
Stung by the inordinate delay’s members of the local legal fraternity have threatened to launch an agitation in the form of a cyclic hunger strike if the court does not become operative within two months. The lawyers have also indicated a boycott of the upcoming assembly elections.
After the government gave its nod for setting up the court in 2013, it took seven years for the structure to be completed on a plot admeasuring around 4,353 square meters reserved for the purpose in Hatkesh area of Mira Road and another three years for the final touches including interiors, furniture, fixture, and other residual works.
Although the structure stands completed for the past several months, the staffing pattern for recruitment of employees and budgetary allocations for the smooth functioning of the court is stuck up in bureaucratic red tape. This despite several reminders by local legislators and agitations by lawyers.
Notably, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has already issued the part Occupancy Certificate (OC) to the state public works department (PWD) which shouldered the responsibility of constructing the court complex. Scores of litigants from the region are forced to travel to the court in Thane to attend civil and criminal cases.
Notably, the erstwhile rural policing apparatus has been elevated to commissionerate status by combining Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai Virar in 2020. Presently 18 police stations are covered under the jurisdiction of the MBVV police. With thousands of crimes registered each year, the rapid development of both the twin-cities compared to other regions in the district had put immense pressure on the available resources.
Moreover, the police are also compelled to drive through the busy state and national highway with suspects and accused to produce them before the court.
