Maharashtra to build larger detention centre for illegal migrants

Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who were caught by the authorities in last week of 2024. File pic

Maharashtra plans to establish new detention centres as part of an initiative to identify illegal Bangladeshi migrants, who cannot be detained in jails directly. Sanjay Upadhyay, a BJP MLA from Borivli, brought attention to the issue of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in his constituency and across the state by raising it through a calling attention notice.

"There are over 5,000 illegal migrants in Borivli. Most of them are working as workers on road construction sites or indulging in hawking business," the BJP MLA alleged. Echoing similar sentiments, BJP MLAs from Kandivli and Charkop-Atul Bhatkalkar and Yogesh Sagar respectively demanded setting up a special cell and initiating a combing drive to identify such migrants residing in Mumbai and other parts of the state.

Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar raised the issue of lengthy court processes involved in this issue. "It takes six years in court. The government should consider setting up a special court or proceed with these cases in fast track court so that these cases are taken to a logical end in three to six months of time frame," Mungantiwar said.

Replying to queries, Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam stated that out of the 600 migrants detained, only 25 were deported. "Since court cases are on, those detained cannot be deported. At present a temporary detention centre has been set up which can house 80 people. But, a bigger detention centre will be set up to house these migrants," Kadam said.

The minister further informed that illegal migrants were found in Thane, Mumbai and Raigad areas. "Based on inputs from the union government and information received by police, a drive has been initiated to identify illegal migrants across the state," Kadam said. In 2021, 109 illegal Bangladeshi migrants were traced, but in the year 2024, the number of people detained was 716.