After slum fire, BMC wants to play it safe

Asks for police protection for officials on demolition drive

After slum fire, BMC wants to play it safe

Asks for police protection for officials on demolition drive

When BMC officials start their massive demolition drive later this month, they can breathe easy with the knowledge that the police are going to be close at hand.
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Officials say they want to avoid any violent incidences such as one that took place last week when slum dwellers had beaten up firemen during the Garib Nagar fire. (Firemen Want Protection While Dousing Slum Fire, March 10)

Slum dwellers had attacked firemen while they were dousing the blaze at Garib Nagar

Starting from the end of this month, BMC will begin its demolition drive of all the slums and huts which have sprouted along the water pipelines in the city.

The settlements make it tough for the BMC to keep a watch on the pipelines and act quickly in the event of a burst pipeline.

BMC's standing committee chairperson, Rahul Shewale said, "The total cost would be nearly Rs 80 crore for the demolition and rehabilitation.

The Garib Nagar fire incident has put fear in our minds and so we are asking for full police protection. We would be deploying private security guards also."

BMC's Hydraulic Engineer, Vinay Deshpande said, "The ward office will be responsible for the security arrangements."

An official from the BMC's G North Ward said, "Some slum residents get aggressive and it is difficult to control them.

Although there are some legal shanties, the people living in the illegal ones may raise a hue and cry."

The demolition would begin from the G North and S wards and nearly 1,878 hutments will be demolished, out of which 1,113 hutments will be eligible for rehabilitation.

Ramakant Biradar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, S Ward, said, "We have around 1,500 shanties in our ward which will be demolished.

We would be deploying full police security from State Reserve Police Force as well as police squads from Dadar and Naigaon."

He further added that the residents would be rehabilitated in Mankhurd area.

15,789
Number of hutments that will be removed

Rs 80 cr
The total cost for the demolition and rehabilitation