Parsik tunnel: Week after landslide, residents of shanties on hill face eviction

Almost 100 shanties are located right on top of the tunnel, and many around it — all in existence for the last 50-odd years. Fearing a collapse of the shanties built on the slope of the hill, the TMC has asked the dwellers to move out at the earliest.

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The instruction came after a landslide on a part of the protection wall built on the tunnel last week. Though a temporary breaking down of the dilapidated wall is now complete, following a partial mega-block of train services on June 21, the TMC authorities were advised by the Central Railway to completely do away with the wall and build a new one, at a distance of 30 metres from the tunnel.

According to the directions given by the Railway Board team sent to inspect the tunnel, the TMC authorities were asked to demolish the protection wall. Declaring any construction built up on the tunnel as “railway-affecting structures”, the Central Railway authorities have asked the civic body to keep the land free of any encroachments.

However, Uday Nagar dwellers believe authorities are misusing the opportunity to remove them from their houses. Kadar Yaseef, who has been running a shop in Uday Nagar for more than 10 years, said, “This is not the first time that authorities have pressurised us to vacate homes.”

“Earlier, during heavy rains in the city in July 2005, we were directed to clear our homes. But these authorities fail to offer us proper rehabilitation. The families have been staying at this place for 40-50 years, where do the officials expect us to go?” Yaseef added.

Another resident said, “I am a senior citizen who is somehow trying to make money to pay for my ailing wife’s medical bills and run the house. At this age, it is impossible for me to find a new house or even make savings for the same. Authorities must look into our problems too before issuing orders.”

The residents also feared to voice out their opposition to shifting homes, anticipating “any kind of backlash”.

The railway authorities have directed the TMC to undertake the work in two phases.

First phase will include clearing up to 15 metres of the land above the tunnel within ten days, while the rest of the work will be done after the monsoons. However, the civic body is looking at a faster pace of work.

“We have appointed a consulting agency to guide us with the construction of the wall and to suggest what kind of clearance we must look at on the tunnel. They will also study the nature of the slope and the flow of water from the hill. The agency visited the spot on Saturday and is likely to come out with its detailed report on Monday,” said Thane Municipal Commissioner Sunil Chavan.

Commenting on the trouble brought about by excessive encroachments on the hill, a TMC official said, “The retaining wall was built by us to offer protection to the hutments and other buildings on the hill. However, residents have continued to throw garbage and increase pressure on the wall.”

He said the land would be cleared and another proper cement wall built in the next 10 days, adding that the work was delayed due to heavy rain in the past three-four days.
Claiming that the TMC must be steadfast at doing its job, a supervising officer from the CR said, “These temporary hutments have been erected on the water drainage line built by us. Due to this, water gets leaked from the pipe and interferes with the wall, making the rocks weaker, which caused the landslide. TMC should be swift at clearing every unauthorised construction on the tunnel.”

The TMC said it was the forest department’s job to get the land vacated. “We have drafted a letter to the forest department to take necessary action. As the land on the tunnel belongs to them, only they can decide on the same,” said Chavan.

Forest officials, however, said the land did not belong to the department.

“It is a private land, which belongs to officials from the railways. The land allocated to us is at least 27 metres away from where the TMC is asking us to take action. Not only that, a few years ago, we had advised TMC to refrain from providing water and electricity supply to the people who stay there so that they vacate the space. Asking them to evacuate is not our responsibility but that of TMC’s,” said I S Kambli, Range Forest Officer, Thane.

Railway activists claimed that the authorities must be proactive.

Subhash Gupta, an activist, said, “Though late, we are happy that action is being taken… We plead that not only the unauthorised houses but also the excessive amounts of garbage dumped on the hill must be cleared. Also, authorities must take preventive actions at clearing such dilapidated structures and not wait for incidences to happen.”