"No one would have dared touch us if Sunil Dutt was alive”: Garib Nagar residents shattered after Bandra demolition drive

A largescale eviction and demolition drive began on Tuesday in the Garib Nagar slum area adjoining Bandra East railway station in Mumbai based on the directives issued by the Bombay High CourtWestern Railway authorities launched the operation to clear unauthorised structures from railway land as part of a major infrastructure expansion and redevelopment project Officials said the drive will continue over the next four daysVisuals from the site showed heavy police deployment demolition machinery and debris removal operations as teams continued clearing structures in the densely populated settlement areaThis highstakes operation is being heavily secured by nearly 400 personnel including the Mumbai Police RPF and fire brigade teamsmumbai bandra bandraslums pictwittercom6O49N6Wp3lmdash Mid Day mid_day May 19 2026Residents allege lack of noticeResidents of Garib Nagar near Bandra East railway station expressed anger helplessness and betrayal on Tuesday as a largescale demolition drive continued in the slum area adjoining railway landSeveral residents alleged they were either not given prior notice or were left uncertain about rehabilitation despite living in the locality for decadesldquoIf Sunil Dutt was herehelliprdquoldquoToday if Sunil Dutt was here no one would have been able to touch or move us from hererdquo one resident said during the operation adding that he has been living in Garib Nagar since 1981We were safe only because we voted for Sunil Dutt Garib Nagar resident shares his ordeal amidst Western Railways demolitionBandra bandraslum garibnagar westernrailway mumbai mumbainews pictwittercomcsTykLBcqNmdash Mid Day mid_day May 19 2026Residents question political promisesAnother resident claimed that no notice was received before the demolition began and questioned the lack of surveys before the actionldquoDuring elections Bandra MLA Varun Sardesai told us that if residents of Garib Nagar faced any problem we should come to him and he would solve it We have Aadhaar cards PAN cards and voter IDs yet the demolition happened without any survey Who are we supposed to go to for help nowrdquo the resident saidAnother resident alleges that residents never received a demolition notice Bandra bandraslum garibnagar westernrailway mumbai mumbainews pictwittercomEBAbwtKQzxmdash Mid Day mid_day May 19 2026ldquoFor votes we become authorisedrdquoA teacher who works with children in the slum area criticised political leaders for approaching residents only during electionsldquoWhen they come to us for votes we the lsquounauthorisedrsquo people become authorised Every politician MP and MLA used to come here seeking votes but now that we are being pushed out of our homes no one is here to helprdquo the teacher told MiddayPoliticians need us only when they want votes Dont dare come to us now a frustrated GaribNagar resident speaks with MidDaybreakingnews mumbai mumbainews bandraslums pictwittercomsN8Uwp08cemdash Mid Day mid_day May 19 2026300 people left homelessA woman resident also questioned the rehabilitation process alleging that only a limited number of families were being accommodatedldquoThe government is providing homes to only 100 people while leaving nearly 300 others homeless Around 400 residents live here How can they make us homeless in a single day How is this fairrdquo she saidDemolition drive linked to railway expansion plansThe demolition drive is connected to Western Railwayrsquos longpending project to expand the fifth and sixth railway lines on the SantacruzndashMumbai Central corridor aimed at easing congestion on Mumbairsquos suburban rail networkOfficials said the cleared land will help facilitate nearly 50 new originating trains from Mumbai and support the expansion of Bandra TerminusThe additional space will further be used to connect Bandra suburban station with Bandra Terminus and segregate suburban and longdistance rail operations for smoother train movementRLDA redevelopment plansThe land is also strategically significant for future commercial redevelopment The Rail Land Development Authority RLDA had recently auctioned nearby prime railway land to private developers for modernisation projectsHigh court directions on rehabilitationThe Bombay High Court had permitted railway authorities to remove unauthorised encroachments on railway land observing that settlements and waste accumulation were affecting railway infrastructure and track safetyHowever the court also directed authorities to protect the rights of eligible slum dwellers identified during official baseline surveys It stated that residents entitled to rehabilitation cannot be evicted without being provided alternative accommodation by the state governmentOfficials said around 100 legal residents identified under rehabilitation norms have already been provided accommodation while action will be taken against the remaining unauthorised occupantsMassive civic operation underwayThe operation involves coordination between railway authorities civic agencies and law enforcement personnel highlighting the scale of Mumbairsquos ongoing infrastructure and urban redevelopment pushWith inputs from Manali Bhavsar Rajendra B Aklekar Atul Kamble