Mumbai citizens raise civic concerns over child labour, traffic congestion and missing footpaths

Recently, three child labourers were rescued from a construction site at Ghatkopar when an alert citizen complained about them working at the site. There is a need for government authorities to conduct regular surprise checks, like the FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe does, at construction sites to ensure children are not exploited. Just fining the employer or the contractor is not the solution, but measures must be taken to ensure education for these children when their parents are out at work. Cajetan Peter D'Souza

The pictures accompanying this letter are from two days last week on the Dudh Naka road in Kalyan. One lane of this road is perennially shut owing to some function or the other at the Durgadi Fort that leads to this road. Sometimes it is a fun fair, sometimes some religious function, and last week it was Navratri festival. The traffic on this road during the morning and evening peak hours is unbearable. The residents are getting increasingly fed up of non-stop functions that hinder local residents' movement almost every other week. Piyush Gudka

You can see the status of footpaths in Thane West Lazarus Road. Complaints raised to Thane civic authorities since last week have elicited no action. Pedestrians, especially schoolchildren, are affected by this lack of footpaths. Yogesh Sawant