BMC TO REMOVE ENCROACHERS FROM AROUND HANCOCK BRIDGE

Mumbai:following a tiff between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Central Railway (CR) regarding the rehabilitation of people living near Hancock Bridge, Union railway minister Piyush Goyal has asked chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to direct BMC to undertake the work of resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R).

“Due to poor and unsafe condition, CR demolished BMC’S Hancock Bridge near Sandhurst Road station.

While reconstructing the new road overbridge (ROB), BMC has planned to increase its width from 18.3m to 30.0m to cater to the present-day requirement,” the letter read.

“I am given to understand that the construction could not be undertaken earlier as the matter was sub-judice. However, the [Bombay] high court has cleared the way forward for undertaking the construction in January 2018.

“Ministry of Urban Development (MOUD) filed an affidavit in Delhi High Court in a public interest litigation (PIL) that the Central government does not have any separate policy for slum rehabilitation and improvement. Taking into consideration these aspects, the rehabilitation of the encroachers in approach of Hancock Bridge by the Railways is not possible. Considering the need of BMC for additional land, BMC should carry out the required R&R,” the letter read.

Goyal went on to state that the Railways will make land available on lease as per the policy.