Mumbai: Worli fisherfolk still await compensation for loss of income

The under-construction Coastal Road in Worli, on Tuesday. Pic/Bipin Kokate

The fisherfolk of Worli Koliwada, whose livelihood was affected by the Coastal Road work, said the BMC had assured to finalise the compensation for the community by December. With 17 days left for the deadline to end, the community members are hoping the civic body will stick to its word.

The construction of Coastal Road started in 2018, at least two years after the planning was done. However, the BMC did not start the process for compensating the fishing community for the loss of their livelihood for the duration of the work.

The fisherfolk halted the work in November 2021, demanding compensation and expansion of the span of pillars beyond 60 metres for easy navigation of boats. While the BMC increased the span to 120 metres at Cleveland Bunder, they are yet to finalise the amount of compensation.

Last year, the civic body had tasked Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to draft a compensation policy at the cost of Rs 1.50 crore. When the policy was tabled in November, the representatives of the Worli fisherfolk rejected it.

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"There were errors in the policy, which recommended compensation for workers that was higher than what was suggested for boat owners. We highlighted the issue and requested different compensation for different grades," said Nitesh Patil, president of the Worli Koliwada Nakhwa Matsya Vyavsay Sahakari Society.

He added, "We have been affected by Coastal Road construction since the past four years. The ramp to build the bridge has blocked our access and will stay for at least 2.5 to 3 years. So we need annual compensation till the year the ramp is completely removed."

In a letter to Patil, the BMC has said that the TISS was working on a revised compensation policy and requested cooperation for timely completion of the project. "The BMC has assured us that they will come up with the compensation policy in December. We are waiting for it," said Patil. More than 66 per cent of the work on the 10.58-km-long Coastal Road is complete and the BMC aims to get it ready by December 2023.