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Dwellers refuse to move after BMC razes slums

The civic body has already allotted alternate accommodation to these slum dwellers in Mahul and Chembur but they are demanding houses in Kohinoor area in Kurla as Mahul is far away from the city

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Slum dwellers on Vidyavihar’s Pipeline road occupy the footpaths
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After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished 762 huts on the Pipeline road in Vidyavihar on Saturday, the slum dwellers have made their home on the footpath, keeping all their household items like fridge, television, cupboard, utensils, etc, and leaving the road choked with traffic. The civic body has already allotted alternate accommodation to these slum dwellers in Mahul and Chembur but they are demanding houses in Kohinoor area in Kurla as Mahul is far away from the city.

This is the same slum where BJP MLA and Housing and Labour Minister Prakash Mehta had allegedly stopped the BMC's N ward officer from demolition the slum last month after which the matter reached to the Bombay High Court. However, the state government later informed the court that the housing in Kurla is reserved for Airport Authority projects and thus Mahul is the only alternate accommodation which can be provided to slum dwellers in N ward (Vidyavihar-Ghatkopar) and the civic body could demolish the slum.

Out of the 762 slums demolished, at least half of the slum dwellers have not yet shifted with a demand to provide alternate housing in Kurla itself. The motorists travelling to and fro Vidyavihar station have to take a long route as barricades are put at both the ends on Pipeline road. Local corporator BJP's Parag Shah said, "The slum dwellers have approached high court today (Monday) demanding housing at Kurla or civic body to provide housing in Vidyavihar on the same land, as it was decided earlier. The court will give its guidelines to BMC on Wednesday".

N ward officer Bhagyashree Kapse said, "We have provided them the housing available with the BMC. How can we accommodate them in housings reserved for Airport authority? Their allotment letters are ready but the people are not ready to move."

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