Late-night illegal parties at BMC pool in Malad disrupt residents

Residents of Malad area in Mumbai have been struggling with sleepless nights due to late-night illegal parties being held at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) run swimming pool, located at liberty garden.

According to locals, the parties involve slum youth who allegedly enter the pool at night through the drains or by climbing over the fence. With only one guard on duty at night, the partygoers have been able to continue with their activities without fear of being caught.

Residents have reported that the noise and disturbance caused by the parties have been disrupting their sleep for weeks. Despite numerous complaints to the BMC and the police, no real action has been taken. Locals claim that the partygoers overindulge in the water while being completely fearless, which has raised concerns about safety.

Security measures by the civic body at the pool have also been criticised, with claims that the pool lacked nighttime security when it first opened to the public on April 1. The BMC appointed one guard for night duty only a few days ago, but partygoers have reportedly intimidated the security guard into remaining silent.

Locals have captured footage of young people using the pool and scaling a wall to exit, with some even crawling into the drainage pipe to gain access.

BMC's Deputy Commissioner, Kishor Gandhi, acknowledged the complaints about the pool being used unlawfully. However, the BMC has been slow to respond, with residents claiming that the authorities did not even inform them that the pool lacked CCTV surveillance until the middle of the day.

The BMC has defended its decision not to install CCTV cameras "for the safety of women members and everyone's privacy," but residents are calling for better security measures to prevent unauthorised access. The civic body has announced that it will publish a tender to appoint a contractor for running and maintaining security of the pool within the next 8 to 10 days.

The police have also assured to increase patrolling at the swimming pool, and if they catch anyone, they will take strict action against them. Alcohol consumption and public annoyance are both crimes.