Mumbai: Mahul residents reach BMC, demand for alternative homes

Mahul residents reach BMC headquarters

Over 1,000 Mahul residents reached the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters on Wednesday to submit forms for alternative homes.

Residents have been complaining about the poor state of living, health hazards and high levels of pollution in the area.

"We came here to submit applications for an alternate residence. We will also submit the forms to the urban development department (UDD), according to the directives of the high court," said Nandu Shinde, a resident of Mahul and one of the petitioners.

On September 23, the Bombay high court (HC) ordered the state government to provide alternative accommodation to Mahul residents. It also directed the state to deposit Rs 15,000 per month as rent and Rs 45,000 as refundable deposit in the account of each occupant till alternative homes are allocated. The civic body has time till December 16.

So far, BMC has shifted around 5,500 project affected people (PAPs) from Mahul.

Meanwhile, BMC will challenge the order in the Supreme Court, as the rent and deposits would cost the civic body Rs 125 crore a year.

There are 72 buildings in Mahul, where 5,550 homes belong to PAPs. Currently, over 3,500 families are staying in Mahul, while others have been shifted fearing health hazards owing to the excessive air pollution.

The next hearing in the SC is scheduled for October 29.

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