Slums should be allowed height of 20 feet, must be regularised: BMC opposition leader Pravin Chheda

The Congress is at it again. After pressing for regularisation of slums, the party now seeks Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC's) permission for having multi-storey slums in the city. The party has demanded that the civic body allow shanties and slums to grow as tall as 20 feet and the state regularise them.

The shocking demand was pitched by Opposition leader in BMC Pravin Chheda, wherein he pressed the Shiv Sena-led civic body to allow vertical growth of slums across the city. The demand has apparently been made to garner the votes of slum dwellers in the upcoming civic polls. Chheda, however, claimed that his demand was a response to the recent order of municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta, directing all ward officers to carry out demolition of slums and shanties beyond 14-foot height.

"Lakhs of people in Mumbai reside in slums. There is hardly any structure (shanties) in the city which is less than 14-foot high. These small hutments are not enough to house so many people, thus floors have to be increased. Already, slum structures in SRA and other state government layouts are 19-foot high. The same should be allowed on BMC land too. All slums that have come up before 2000 should be allowed a height of 20 feet and must be regularised by the state," Chheda said.

He refuted the claims that his demand aimed at conserving and flourishing the vote banks of his party. "This will also affect the Sena and the BJP. Because all these slums and shanties bloomed during their tenure at the BMC. The demand should also help their vote banks," Chheda reasoned.

Meanwhile, the civic administration has clarified that structural heights of slums, shanties and chawls were regulated by the state government. "Therefore, the BMC cannot do anything in this matter. After water and regularisation of pre-2000 slums, comes this demand. Guess the Congress wants to bloom slums in the city," remarked a senior BMC officer, adding that if the party persisted with the demand, the civic body might consider it. "Then we will discuss it at the civic improvements committee. It will also require the approval of the general body before it is sent to the state government."

The officer pointed out that allowing slum dwellers to build two additional floors would affect intended SRA projects in the city. He also underlined the issue of disasters linked to this demand. Currently, the height of slums is restricted to 14 feet, which is essentially ground-plus-one.

Citing the recent fire incident at an Andheri-based medical store-cum-two-storey house, where a suspected short-circuit claimed the lives of nine people, dna asked Chheda if the Congress would take responsibility in case of any such incident. His reply was an emphatic no. "It is the responsibility of the BMC, fire brigade and the state; how can one party be held responsible for for such incidents," he asked.

In 2015, it was the same Congress which had demand a height of 18 feet for slums. It was corporator Parminder Bhamra, who had made the demand that slums constructed before 1995 be allowed to grow vertically and be given water connection.

Going forward, the issue of vertical slums and their protection is likely to be a regular topic at the BMC as all parties will now target slum 'vote banks' with civic polls just around the corner.