Around 3,762 unauthorised hutments along the Kurla-Trombay railway tracks are home to approximately 25,000 people. Following an order from the Bombay High Court, the process of removing these structures and rehabilitating their occupants is underway.
The Central Railway needs to clear the land to facilitate the expansion of the fifth and sixth railway lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla. The project is also important from the perspective of railway safety and ensuring the security of the railway line used for transporting chemical substances and petroleum products.
A meeting was held at Sahyadri Guest House on Thursday to discuss issues affecting the Chembur, Kurla and Chandivali Assembly constituencies. The rehabilitation of hutment dwellers living along railway tracks from Chikhalwadi and RCF-Priyadarshini to Kurla-Trombay and Mahul was among the key issues raised during the meeting.
Shinde contacted Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and apprised him of the situation faced by the affected families. He said residents who had been living in these areas for years were worried following the eviction notices. He also pointed out that any action could potentially create a law-and-order situation.
To address the issue, Shinde directed the SRA, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other concerned agencies to work together and prepare a detailed rehabilitation plan for the affected residents.
The meeting also discussed the redevelopment of the municipal corporation employees' Patra Chawl in Khardev Nagar and the Debur Residents' Cooperative Housing Societies. Shinde said the possibility of introducing a new policy for their redevelopment would be considered positively.
The issue of retired municipal employees not vacating their allotted municipal corporation accommodation and the withholding of their outstanding dues was also discussed.
In addition, directions were issued to the concerned agencies to work together to resolve sewage channel problems in the Nehru Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Sahakar Nagar and Navin Tilak Nagar MHADA colonies.
The rehabilitation of people affected by railway projects in Sable Nagar, Kranti Nagar, Santoshi Mata Nagar and along the Burma Shell line also figured in the discussions.
Issues concerning basic infrastructure and civic amenities in the Chandivali area were raised, with emphasis on finding permanent solutions.
The proposed DPR is expected to provide a framework for addressing the rehabilitation concerns of thousands of families living along the Kurla-Trombay railway corridor, while the railway administration's land-clearance requirements remain linked to the expansion and safety of the railway network.
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