Will steel view cutters come up outside Arthur Road jail?

With Mumbai Monorail's construction reaching the fag end, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials are of the opinion that not installing steel view cutters outside Arthur Road jail will not compromise on safety.

Back in July 2010, the state home department had cleared construction of monorail on Sane Guruji Marg (outside Arthur Road jail) on the condition that "steel view cutters on the guideway structure will be installed to prevent internal view of the prison".

Under the first phase, the Mumbai Monorail project is already operational between Chembur and Wadala depot. The second phase involves the line criss-crossing the areas of Antop Hill, Dadar, Parel, Lower Parel, Arthur Road jail and eventually terminating at Jacob Circle (Sant Ghadge Maharaj Chowk also known as Saat Raasta).

"The monorail train is an enclosed air-conditioned compartment; people will not be able to hurl anything from it. So, what's the point of having view cutters," questioned an MMRDA official, adding that it will only increase construction cost.

Another senior official opined: "There are other structures around the Arthur Road jail from where one gets an overview of what is there inside. It is only now that new constructions around the prison have some restrictions."

Apart from the steel view cutters, the home department also asked the MMRDA to construct two watch towers on either side of the monorail route near the prison and even to increase the height of the prison wall.

"It was (then) contended by MMRDA officials that the prison wall is 80 meters long and a metallic view cutter on the guideway structure along the length of prison wall will obstruct any internal view of the prison area from the Mono Rail, which in any case will be a closed mode of transport. It was further submitted that Mono Rail will take only 15 seconds to pass the jail premises and in case of failure of the rolling stock there is a provision to rush the rescue train to pull or push the disable rail to the station within 5 to 7 minutes," read MMRDA's statement in July 2010.

Another point of view to oppose construction of view cutters is that there's no monorail station near the prison area and the monorail construction has come up at least 14 metres away from the prison wall.

However, the home department officials are unwilling to accede to the views of the MMRDA and continue to ask having "security apparatus" for the monorail to roll out in 2016.