In a quiet corridor of Prestige Sunrise Park in Bengaluru’s Electronic City, a humble shoe rack has sparked an unusual standoff. For nearly eight months, one resident has been paying Rs 100 a day for placing it outside his front door, bringing the total penalty to Rs 24,000.
And now, the apartment association is turning up the heat, planning to double the fine from Rs 100 to Rs 200 a day.
The Residents’ Association at Prestige Sunrise Park, a complex consisting of 1,046 homes, launched a crackdown on personal items spilling into common spaces, including shoe racks, potted plants, storage cabinets. It was found that nearly half the residents had placed items outside their flats, in violation of community guidelines.
Notices were issued. Conversations followed. A two-month deadline was set. There was pushback at first, but slowly, one by one in four weeks, everyone complied, all but two.
One gave in after a final round of reminders, but the last man standing refused to budge.
Instead of removing his shoe rack, he made an advance payment of Rs 15,000, asking the association to treat it as pre-paid fines. Even when the penalty doubled, he didn’t blink. The shoe rack stayed put. The fines kept piling up.
According to a Times of India report, he has now paid Rs 24,000 over the past eight months, and the shoe standoff continues.