Film City to get a police chowki
Vickey Lalwani & Yogesh Naik (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 10, 2014)

Mumbai's Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has promised to set up a police chowki in Film City.

An eight-member delegation representing the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPAA) and Indian Films and Television Directors Association (IFTDA) which includes Ramesh Taurani, Vikas Mohan, TP Aggarwal, JD Majithia and Ashoke Pandit will meet the Police Commissioner this evening to discuss how the problems faced by crews while shooting in the studio can be resolved. Earlier on Saturday, the delegation had discussed their list of greivances with Maria.

Elaborating on this Pandit pointed out that traffic cops often drop by in uniform demanding bribes. "If we don't comply, shoots are disrupted," he said.

Producer Vipul Shah, who reportedly spent a bomb greasing palms during the making of the Akshay Kumar starrer Holiday, welcomed the step and said: "We have full faith in him."

Another grouse was that the security at the main gate was lax and since the place is a tourist spot, anyone can get inside. What is worse is that the nearest police station is Aarey Milk Colony and the safety of several big stars and hundreds of crew was at stake everyday.

Maria told Mirror, "Film City falls under the juristiction of two police stations. If the film fraternity is willing to construct a police chowki there, we can send beat constables to go and sit there."

There have been issues over permissions for shoots too. "We have to approach different authorities and this can become a time-consuming exercise," Taurani pointed out.

Maria, who has been mulling over this issue said: "We can come up with an arrangement whereby film units can submit their request at one local police station well in advance. This way the decision can be taken well before the shoot commences and if needed, can be reviewed, without throwing the schedule for a six.