Residents of buildings set for reconstruction are not keen on shifting to camps in the suburbs
Residents staying in dilapidated buildings in south Mumbai, who mostly avoid transit camps in the suburbs, might have a chance at transit accommodation close their existing homes. In a meeting held with MHADA officials, Minister of State for Housing Ravindra Waikar said that he will write to central minister Nitin Gadkari and seek Bombay Port Trust land to construct transit camps. MHADA officials claim that the quantum of land they want is 100 acres, and on lease.
Confirming the same, Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary, who was present at the meeting held immediately next of the Hussaini building collapse said, "Most residents of South Mumbai's dilapidated buildings do not wish ?o leave their homes and are reluctant to shift to the suburbs because their children's school, their doctor, and even work is all here. Getting admission and other things is difficult, therefore we have made this proposal to get BPT land for transit camps."
"In the meeting, we discussed about asking for land on lease from BPT. This will enable us to construct transit camps within two-three kilometres of the dilapidated building, and the residents won't mind. Ravindra Waikar even said he would write a letter to Nitin Gadkari to convince him into providing the land. We will also take a delegation to meet him in Delhi along with MLAs," he added.
Meanwhile, MHADA officials present at the meeting confirmed that if they get the land parcel, it will solve a major issue of rehabilitation of residents. A senior officer from MHADA's repair and reconstruction board said, "As a state official, it isn't right on my part to talk about topics concerning the central government. But we surely need lots of transit camps to accommodate residents of the dilapidated buildings. If we get the land from BPT, the distance problem will be taken care of. Currently, we only have transit accommodation available in the suburbs and residents do not wish to go there."
Narendra Pisat, resident of 117-year-old Chawate building, CP Tank area, which was declared unsafe to reside in, told DNA that he doesn't mind shifting to a transit building if it is within 4-5 kilometres of his existing residence because of his work and doctors.
Repeated attempts to contact Waikar got us no response.
...& ANALYSIS
- With the recent incident of Hussaini building collapsing, MHADA need to get their act together to ensure residents have no reasons to worry
- Residents would have to find a new school and doctor and would have problems of commute to work if shifted to the suburbs
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