Over 200 shanties demolished in Jai Bhim Nagar of Powai in Mumbai by BMC after Bombay HC’s order
Families living on the footpath had taken shelter there after their homes in Jai Bhim Nagar were razed in an earlier drive. Pic/SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Acting on the Bombay High Court’s order to demolish the illegal shanties established by residents of Jai Bhim Nagar on the footpath in suburban Mumbai's Powai, BMC officials on Thursday conducted a demolition drive, leaving the residents homeless.
This marks the second instance of demolition at the site during the monsoon season, raising questions about the BMC’s adherence to a standing Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Department of Urban Development.
The GR explicitly prohibits demolitions between June 1 and September 30 to protect vulnerable communities during Mumbai’s notoriously heavy monsoon months.
Families living on the footpath had taken shelter there after their homes in Jai Bhim Nagar were razed in an earlier drive last year, which also took place during the monsoon season.
According to local residents, they had received no formal rehabilitation and had resorted to protesting by occupying the footpath in front of their former neighbourhood.
Jai Bhim Nagar families Kicked out of homes, now off footpaths, too. Read more here
Over the past year, these makeshift shelters became home to hundreds of families, many with small children and elderly members.
“The demolition was scheduled for August 18. But due to incessant rains, no one turned up. We were relieved for a bit but knew that this relief might not last long. Then they did not come the next day either, and we became a bit hopeful. But all our hopes were razed within minutes on August 21,” said Shobha Pawar, one of those living on the footpath.
While some have looked for temporary rooms on rent in nearby slums, others are still sitting on the footpath with all their belongings. “We found a room in Gautam Nagar. The owner demanded a deposit of Rs 20,000 and Rs 6,000 as monthly rent. How are we supposed to pay such a huge amount immediately? We begged the owner to give us some time and let at least our children stay under a roof. Thankfully, he accepted and has given us a month’s time,” said Pawar.
Though BMC did provide a list of civic shelter homes across the city for the slum dwellers to go to, none of the residents are willing to stay there due to multiple reasons. “They told us that the ladies, gents and children will have to stay separately. If they really want to provide us with shelter, they should make arrangements in a way that families are not broken. Also, most of the ladies work as house helps in this area. How will we get to work from faraway shelter homes? How will our children, whose schools are just a walking distance from our house in Jai Bhim Nagar, go to school? They have threatened to detain us if we do not leave the footpaths. But where should we go, especially when it is raining so heavily?” questioned Meena Nimbale, another victim.
Sabki Library demolished too
Meanwhile, the students and youth who have been connected with Jai Bhim Nagar’s struggle for over two months had, last year, taken up a new initiative of setting up 'Sabki Library' to teach the children of these families. That, too, has now been demolished, leading to the loss of many books.
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