Residents meet CM, seek temporary homes
MUMBAI: Around 1,200 families residing in Sardar Colony at Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Nagar have been asked to give an undertaking to the Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday stating that they will vacate their houses by a specific date. The undertaking was sought by the court.
Desperate to save their homes, around 300 residents met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at his residence on Monday night. They told him that they do not have alternative homes to shift while their buildings are reconstructed. Despite repeated attempts, Fadnavis remained unavailable for comment.
“We really don’t mind vacat- ing the premises if we are given an alternative accommodation or rent. But BMC wants us to vacate our homes without considering that we are citizens of this country. Are we supposed to be thrown out from one place to the other?” said Mahindra Kumar Thapar, 73, a social worker.
Several residents, all of whom are Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab that became part of Pakistan in 1947, are fourth generation residents whose parents and grandparents moved to the city during partition. The 25 buildings that will be redeveloped were built in the late 1950s. Back then, each family paid the government ₹5,350 for their apartment.
“I came here when I was eight. We lived in tents at that time, but didn’t face any problems. But today, after staying here for so long, we are being asked to move out without considering that our lives and livelihood are associated to this place,” said Vajinder Singh, 77.
In April, the state cabinet announced that 31 refugee colonies in and around Mumbai need to be converted into freehold properties.
“After speaking to authorities, I was told that redevelopment policy for refugees would be in place in two months. But BMC seems to be in a hurry to grab this plot, which is why the hearing that was originally scheduled for 2019, was held a few days ago,” said Jasbir Singh Vira, former corporator.
In 2015, BMC declared these buildings as dilapidated, stating they were unsafe to stay and initiated proceedings to demolish them.