Ambedkar Nagar slum demolition on, 600 families left homeless

Over 500 families were left homeless after the forest department arrived at the Ambedkar Nagar slum at Cuffe Pararde and started the demolition on May 1.

The slum is just a stone’s throw from the controversial Adarsh Housing Society and is surrounded by the plush societies of Colaba and the military cantonment.

Forest officials present on the site claimed that a notice to vacate the land was sent to them in 2015. Slumdwellers alleged that the officials demolished the structures without verifying their documents. Jagdish Gujjar, a resident of the slum, said out of the 12, 000 houses in Ambedkar Nagar, only 270 were regularised by the civic body in 2012.

“In 2013, a major fire broke out in the slums wherein more than 600 houses were affected. Several residents lost their documents which could have proved their ownership of the house. Even though there are several unauthorised structures in the slum, the forest department did not even bother to verify the documents and rampantly demolished houses,” Gujjar said.

Another resident said the police officials assaulted the several residents forcing them to evict their houses. Sandesh Patil, one of the residents who were assaulted, said, “We did not even protest but still police officials started a lathi-charge wherein around 20-30 of us were beaten up.” BJP councillor Makarand Narvekar reached the spot and assured that residents from the authorised structures that were demolished will be rehabilitated.

The slum is very near the Adarsh Housing Society & is surrounded by the plush societies of Colaba & military cantonment