The anger among the locals mounted last week, when residents of Kranti Nagar were given eviction notices as part of the rehabilitation plan.
The Mumbai international airport expansion plans received a jolt on Monday, when officials involved with the survey for rehabilitating 60,000-odd slums in the vicinity of the airport, were denied entry by residents at Kurla. In fact, many slum pockets in the area — under the leadership of Congress MLA Naseem Khan — have now decided to oppose the survey unless the state government shows the rehabilitation plan to them.
The anger among the locals mounted last week, when residents of Kranti Nagar were given eviction notices as part of the rehabilitation plan. “How can such notices be served without informing where and how they are being shifted?” questioned Khan.
Khan claimed that he has met Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh and apprised him of his opposition to shift 3,00,000 slum dwellers, unless a complete rehabilitation plan is submitted to them. “The tenements built by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at Mankhurd are sub-standard and have no light and water. We are also totally opposed to shifting these slum dwellers to Dahisar, as it is too far,” added Khan.
Alleging that the GVK-SA led consortium is not revealing its plans, Khan said that the slum dwellers could be easily accommodated in the vicinity of the airport. “Out of the 270 acres of land, security and the new runway would need 150 acres. About 70,000 families can be easily settled in the remaining land, under the state’s slum rehabilitation scheme using 2.5 FSI. But GVK wants to develop a five-star hotel and a mall there,” he alleged.
On the other hand, despite local opposition and irregular police protection, city-based MM Consultants have completed 50 per cent of the survey and covered 17 slum pockets consisting of 28,000 families. As of now, 6,000 tenements in Mankhurd and another 10,000 proposed tenements in Dahisar link road are earmarked to be accommodated in the slums near the airport.
Officials told DNA that the survey consists of checking the existing structure, certifying the copies of evidence, submission of the same to the Collector’s office and serving notices. “We are looking for more land in Mankhurd and Ghatkopar to rehabilitate these people. If we get complete police protection, we can finish the remaining work in 60 days,” an MM Consultants official said.
As of now, the MMRDA is looking to use 50 per cent of the 55-acre land in Dahisar belonging to the Airport Authority of India to accommodate the slums. Authorities are also looking to acquire saltpan land and are in talks with different ministries for clearance. “If need arises, we will buy tenements from the market by paying the existing rate,” said an MMRDA official.
Asked how they would ensure that the expansion plan moves ahead, the spokesperson of Mumbai International Airport Private Limited (MIAL) stated, “We cannot give a specific deadline for the rehabilitation since it is a complex issue. But considering the conditions in which they are presently living, we are sure that these people would want to leave and settle in a safer place.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}