Civic body looks at unsold, but habitable bldgs

THE MAHARASHTRA CHAMBERS OF HOUSING INDUSTRY (MCHI-CREDA) IS COORDINATING WITH THE CIVIC BODY TO HOUSE THE LABOURERS

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is compiling a list of habitable buildings which are yet to be sold in order to temporarily accommodate stranded labourers.

Thousands of migrant labourers are working on the city’s major infrastructure projects such as coastal road, Goregaonmulund link road and Metro lines.

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the state will take care of all migrant labourers and provide them basic necessities like food and water. Following this, the BMC is gathering information from several developers and real estate associations on buildings for which the construction is completed.

Civic officials said the buildings, irrespective of their occupation certificate, will be added to the list.

Water and sewerage connections are said to have been given by the respective civic wards in the area and essential supplies will be provided there.

A senior civic official from the development plan department said, “We have asked all wards to identify such realty projects and the number of tenements they can house. We do not have a rough estimate of total workers to be shifted here as we have directed the wards to track all migrant labourers.”

The Maharashtra Chambers of Housing Industry (MCHICREDAI) is coordinating with the civic body to house these labourers.

“Our members will give accommodation in half-finished structures or places where the occupation certificate (OC) is still to be received,” said MCHICREDAI chief Nayan Shah.

Ashok Mohanani, chairman, Ekta World, said: “I have offered to give some empty flats from my Virar project.”

A senior civic official said, “The civic infra projects were halted due to shortage of manpower soon after the statewide shutdown were announced.”