BRTS: Homeless,2,500 families wait for rehab

The families living in the pockets of Wadaj-Nava Wadaj,Chandola Lake,Danilimda,Khodiyarnagar,Shah Alam,Jamalpur,and Soni ni Chali were evacuated in piecemeal over the last two years.

Pravinbhai,a casual labourer from Soni ni Chali,said: “When we were removed from our houses,we were not even given any verbal assurance from the AMC whether we would get any alternative. After our houses were bulldozed,we built shanties on pavements (in Naroda). Many people have moved to areas where they could manage temporary shelters.”

At Wadaj-Nava Wadaj,which was demolished to develop the first BRTS route from RTO Circle to Khodiyarnagar (now extended to Maninagar),the families were given verbal assurance of alternative housing. And after much request,a few families have been given temporary houses at Balloon Nagar with a promise to give them a permanent shelter later.

On their part,AJL officials claim that no family was evacuated from these pockets to develop the project.

Pravin Patel,one of AJL directors,said: “BRTS routes were designed mainly on the main road junctions where we did not have to evacuate anybody. For instance,the route of Naroda Patiya falls on the 200 feet road. We did not see the need for removing people so there is no question of giving houses.”

While admitting that many people have been evacuated,another AJL director Surendra Baxi said,“We don’t have any plan for the affected people. The AMC may think of allotting them houses under JNNURM. However,they don’t have any plan or a draft as such to rehabilitate them.”