Cabinet give migrants from West Pakistan ownership of land their houses stand on

Cabinet has decided to give residents of such colonies free-hold ownership right of land their houses stand on

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Migrants from West Pakistan, who had made Sion-Koliwada, Kurla, Chembur, Mulund and 26 other locations across the state their home after Partition in 1947, will finally be able to redevelop their dilapidated buildings. The state Cabinet has decided to give them free-hold ownership right to the land or property on which their homes stand.

The matter related to refugee colonies, popularly known as Sindhi camps, has been pending before successive governments for many years in view of land ownership rights. Structures for displaced people were built on either state government land or Union government land, under the Compensation Pool, a joint-venture between the state and Centre.

The colony in Sion has 25 buildings and Chembur has 34. All these structures have been declared dangerous by the BMC, which had officially asked residents to vacate them. In 2016, a high-powered committee was constituted to resolve the issue.

As per the Cabinet decision, the government will conduct a survey to verify the status of occupants and, once confirmed, migrants (now in their third or fourth generation) will immediately be awarded free-hold right on their property card.

Sources said as refugee camp residents are accused of unauthorised construction, the existing regulations of the redevelopment control rules will be applied. When contacted, Sion-Koliwada legislator Captain Tamil Selvan said it was good news for the residents who needed good homes very badly. He said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had asked MHADA to redevelop refugee colonies in Mumbai. "The CM has sent a proposal to MHADA," he said.

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