The mega-slum project, which involves development of 16,801.19 square meters of slum area has been mooted by Darshan Developers.
With the fast depletion of open spaces in the city, developers are now eyeing public toilet blocks. In a shocking development, a transit shelter meant for accommodating slum dwellers affected by a slum rehabilitation project (SRA) at Juhu Gully is being constructed over a pre-existing public lavatory. The mega-slum project, which involves development of 16,801.19 square meters of slum area and rehabilitation of 613 slum dwellers (as per annexure II) has been mooted by Darshan Developers. Jatin Shah, who was recently levied with charges of irregularities in another slum scam by the Anti Corruption Bureau, is the architect.
Sayyed Haider Imam, 40, a local resident, sought information about the location of the transit shelter from the municipality through the Right to Information Act. Assistant maintenance engineer from the K/ West ward (Andheri), in his reply, dated January 2007 observed that the transit camp was being constructed illegally. He added that the office (read BMC) is afraid the developer may demolish the toilet block for construction of a commercial building.
RA Tripathi, a sub engineer with the SRA, however, saw nothing wrong with this development. “We have allowed the developer to construct a temporary shelter at the condition that the toilet block won’t be disturbed. The arrangement was met as there was no alternate space available for a transit camp in the high-density slum.” Tripathi added, “Slum dwellers will be provided with self-contained bathrooms when the scheme is completed.”
When asked about the permission from BMC, he said, “The land belonged to the collector. For slum rehabilitation projects, SRA is a parallel development body and enjoys rights of issuing permissions to the developers.” Sources in the BMC, however, contended permission from the civic body was needed for any construction over public land.
Large-scale discrepancies
The slum project, like most ongoing schemes in the city, is under the cloud of corruption and wide scale discrepancies. Those affected by the scheme alleged that the developer had floated the proposal of formation and development of three housing societies without the requisite 70 per cent consent needed for mooting a slum project.
Mohammed Adam, 49, said, “The signatures of several people were taken surreptitiously. Those who protested were shown ineligible for rehabilitation.” Imam alleged photo passes (residence proofs) were forged to reach the number needed for project initiation. He claimed that the officials working for the collector and SRA were working hand-in-glove with the developer. “Temples and shrines in existence for more than five decades have been made ineligible. Photo pass of the same shrines was used to accommodate fake names,” Imam claimed adding, “While the original collector survey showed the eligible residents as 698, the number got mysteriously scuttled to 615 when SRA issued the construction permission (LOI).”
“There has been no intent on our part to deny rehabilitation to any eligible slum dweller. Some elements are faking claims,” said Mohammed Ibrahim, executive director, Darshan Developers. Tripathi said that certifying the candidates eligible for rehabilitation was the responsibility of officials working for the collector. “On receiving complaints, we asked them to verify the annexure three months back. We are yet to hear from them,” added Tripathi. The demolition of the tenements, meanwhile, continues. “Any additions to the list will be accomodated,” he added.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}