Mumbai: Locals irate after BMC starts razing Powai slum, 15 hurt in stone pelting

The settlement at Jai Bhim Nagar in Powai where the demolition drive was held on Thursday. Pics/Kirti Surve Parade

Fifteen policemen, five civic engineers and an equal number of labourers were injured on Thursday after slum dwellers allegedly started pelting stones when the BMC began demolishing alleged encroachments at Jai Bhim Nagar in Powai. Locals claim the police had lathi-charged them first.

Darshan Kamble, a resident of Jai Bhim Nagar, said, "We have been living here for almost 25 years. We have been fighting a case against BMC for a long time. Though it is pending in the Bombay High Court, the BMC issued an eviction notice on June 3 ordering the demolition of our colony."

Rajratna Khadse, residing with his parents, younger brother, wife and two daughters, said the authorities acted despite locals seeking time to sort out the issue. "They even charged at us with lathis. I have a six-month-old and five-year-old daughter. Where will I take them? We have been living here for two generations. Suddenly authorities deemed us illegal."

Rajratna Hanwate, another resident, said, "My parents lived where I reside with my four-month-old daughter. BMC put us out on the road. The matter is already sub-judice, but the authorities just put up banners at the colony. No one communicates with us. We have lived here for over 30 years."

He added, "They just give us three days' notice. How can we find shelter? The monsoon is here. Where will we take our kids?" Tukaram Paiwade, a resident, said, "We have been living here for two decades. How can the authorities do this to us? Around 650 families live in the colony. Before 2006, there were bamboo huts here, which we converted into tin sheds with permission from authorities. Now the BMC says they are illegal."

After receiving the recent notice, residents approached advocate Shrinivas Singh. He told mid-day that the civic body had issued the first notice in 2017. "The residents approached the HC then. I have requested the BMC in writing not to take action on humanitarian grounds as the case is still pending and the monsoon season is beginning. Even the government is not in favour of taking any such action during the monsoon," Singh said.

Official Speak

What BMC says…
The colony was built by a private builder as a temporary settlement for labourers in 2006 after obtaining the necessary permissions. "This action was taken after following all the laws and guidelines. These are 500 temporary huts. We issued a notice on June 1, directing them to vacate the spot within 48 hours. The notice was issued under Section 488 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act," an official said.