A delay of a little over 2 months may seem like a minor blip in a mega project like the Bhendi Bazaar cluster redevelopment, but it has filled thousand of tenants and locals with a sense of insecurity. Reason: The BMC revoked its August 27 stop-work order last week after apparently finding no irregularities in the project, compelling those affected to wonder if they were just the pawns in a bigger game. The Bhendi Bazaar redevelopment project is being steered by the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust. An SBUT official told mid-day, “We are happy that the stop-work notice issued by the BMC has been revoked and work on the project has commenced.”

However, the locals were more forthcoming in expressing their thoughts. Yusuf Bharmal, 59, one of the tenants who had started an online petition against BMC after the notice was issued, said he just prays every day that he gets his new house before he dies. “I am glad the work has commenced, god bless everyone. But for what and why the work was stopped, there has been no clarity on that yet,” said Bharmal.