It is a persistent life threat for the residents of Punjabi Colony in GTB Nagar as they continue to live in their dilapidated buildings after the Supreme Court enforced a stay order on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) evacuation drive in March.
The 25 buildings of the colony have had residents since 1958 and were built for the displaced families of Pakistan’s Punjab region. The residents said, although there has not been any problem with the buildings, they are aware of the danger they are living in. “In all these years, we have not faced any kind of leakage during monsoon. We have repaired parts of the building as and when required, but we know that these buildings are no more habitable and feel the danger of living in them,” said resident Pradeep Nandrajog.As many as twelve hundred residents refused to move out of their existing situation when the civic authority issued eviction notices after declaring the buildings dilapidated.
The residents wanted rent and assured houses in the same locality after redevelopment. “We have lived here for so long. Our jobs, our children’s education everything is based out of here. We do want to live in better conditions, we want our houses to be redeveloped, but we can’t shift to another place. We had to be assured of houses in the redeveloped building and rent for the time period of redevelopment. Instead, they offered us houses in Mahul, which wasn’t a feasible option,” said 70-year-old resident Sheela Nandlal Ratti.With redevelopment talks going on for more than half a decade, many locals, in order to tackle this situation, have agreed to redevelopment.
“We are in talks with one Hubtown builder, who has agreed to fulfil our demands,” said Nandrajog. The residents are also being supported by their local MLA Captain R Tamil Selvan and MP Rahul Shewale for this project. “Captain R Tamil Selvan has provided his support to us in this struggle,” he added.
HISTORY IN CRACKS
- The 25 buildings of the colony have had residents since 1958
- They were built for the displaced families of Pakistan’s Punjab region
- Residents say that they have not faced any structural problem yet, but are fully aware of the danger they live in
