Meri Marjee: Electronic City Resident Pays ₹15,000 in Advance to Keep Shoe Rack Outside Apartment
Meri Marjee: Electronic City Resident Pays ₹15,000 in Advance to Keep Shoe Rack Outside Apartment (Representational image)
Prestige Sunrise Park campaign sees mass compliance, except one resident who prefers to pay fines over following corridor safety rules.
Bengaluru: In a rather unusual show of defiance, a resident of Prestige Sunrise Park in Electronic City, Bengaluru, has paid over ₹15,000 in fines to retain a shoe rack in the corridor outside their apartment. This comes despite a residential society campaign urging all occupants to clear common areas for fire safety reasons.
The campaign, initiated by the Residents’ Association of the Norwood block, aimed to remove personal items such as shoe racks, potted plants, and storage units from corridors. The effort was launched in line with fire safety guidelines which mandate obstruction-free exit paths in high-rise buildings. A two-month grace period was provided along with repeated communication and discussions to allow residents enough time to comply.
According to the association, most of the 1,046 households responded positively, with nearly all removing their belongings from shared spaces. Initially, only two households resisted. One eventually complied, while the second continued to defy the rule.
In a bold move, the non-compliant resident chose to pay an advance fine of ₹15,000, requesting the amount be adjusted against future penalties. The society currently imposes a ₹100 per day fine for such violations but is now considering doubling the amount to ₹200 to discourage further defiance.
When the clearance drive began, nearly half the residents had placed personal items in the corridors. Over time, the community gradually aligned with the safety initiative. However, the persistent resident has made it clear they would rather bear the financial burden than remove the shoe rack, asking the association to consider the matter closed.
