Bombay High Court Asks Petitioner To Deposit ₹1 Lakh Before Hearing PIL To Rename 'Dindoshi' Metro Station As 'Pathanwadi'

The PIL filed by the Naee Roshni Social Organisation states that originally the metro station was named "Pathanwadi," however, due to "undue political pressure" and requests made by MLAs, on January 18, 2019 the MMRDA commissioner ordered that the station be called "Dindoshi" instead.

According to the petitioner, by changing the name of the metro station, the MMRDA has violated its own policy on naming metro stations. The policy states that where there are more than two stations in a Revenew village, the metro station should be named after its nearest wadi.

In the present case, Malad has three metro stations, two on Line 2A and one on Metro Rail Line 7. The Line 7, as per the policy, was already named "Pathanwadi," but the name was subsequently changed to Dindoshi.

On Thursday, a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik heard advocate Altaf Khan for the petitioners and said they would hear the PIL only after the petitioners deposited Rs. 1 lakh as a pre-condition.

"The Petitioner, other Social Organisations, Co-op. Housing Societies as well as residents of Pathanwadi area of Malad have addressed repeated correspondences and representations to the Respondent putting forth their grievances with respect to the arbitrary and illegal manner in which the "Pathanwadi" Metro Station was renamed to "Dindoshi". The Respondent has however, failed and neglected to take any steps in furtherance of the representations of the residents of Pathan wadi' and the Petitioner's grievance remains unassuaged," the plea states.

It therefore seeks for the station to be renamed as Pathanwadi.