A 70-year-old building housing the popular Mamagoto restaurant on Bandra’s Hill Road in Mumbai was demolished to restore the road's original width and improve traffic flow. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported that while Hill Road's official width is 27 meters, it had been reduced to 13 meters due to the building's location, contributing to significant traffic congestion.
The building, which contained 12 commercial units and two residential apartments, had been given alternative accommodations, with the final demolition notice issued on June 15 and the demolition date set for August 9. Assistant Municipal Commissioner Vinayak Vispute stated that removing the building and debris would significantly ease traffic on the road.
Bandra West MLA Ashish Shelar highlighted the widening of Hill Road as a priority, noting that removing this bottleneck was crucial for addressing traffic congestion in the area. Over recent years, efforts had been made to systematically address various traffic obstacles along the road.
The demolition was also supported by the Chairperson of the Bandra Reclamation Area Volunteers Organisation, who praised the civic body's action and confirmed that affected residents had been properly rehabilitated. Despite the presence of a pay-and-park facility, road parking continues to impede traffic flow.