Kapurai logjam: Muslims ask VMC to allocate new homes in another locality

Low-cost homes under Basic Services for the Urban Poor scheme have been built at Kapurai and allotted to Muslim families from Sulemani Chawl, where 318 clustered homes were demolished by the VMC on May 31. The low-cost homes were allotted to nearly 260 families, but no one, so far, has taken possession.

Residents of Kapurai — a predominantly Hindu neighbourhood — had written to the VMC, stating that allowing Muslims to move into the locality would “hamper the peace-loving nature here” as their “daily activity involves assaulting and abusing”.

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In a memorandum before the VMC commissioner on Thursday, J S Bandukwala and Ibrahim Shaikh Cyclewala said: “The residents of the area where the homes have been allotted have opposed relocation of the Muslim community, displaced during the demolitions of Sulemani Chawl, and created a feeling of insecurity.
This is a matter of serious concern. Therefore, our demand is that the VMC must make complete arrangement for the security of the Muslim families before shifting them to the location. Alternatively, the VMC must allot homes to these families in an area dominated by the Muslim community by constructing new homes. We also propose that the VMC could construct rehabilitation scheme in-situ at the site of the Sulemani Chawl demolitions and till the time that such construction is complete, disburse the families a monthly rental allowance.”

VMC officials, however, said it would not be feasible for the civic body to disburse rent to such a large number of families when homes have already been allotted as per the policy. Currently, the civic officials said, the VMC was spending a monthly sum of Rs 15 lakh towards the rental compensation for the families of Kalyannagar, who were relocated from Sayajipura to an in-situ scheme, currently under construction.

Rao told The Indian Express: “It (demand for rent allowance) cannot be decided individually. These are decisions taken at the appropriate statutory forums as per policy… If there is a situation of law and order (after Muslims take possession of their new homes at Kapurai), we will talk to the city police commissioner. Only if there is an inevitable situation, we will consider to relocate them. At the moment, the draw that has been conducted holds. If we have to cancel it, it has to be for a valid reason, especially if there is a monetary ramification involved.”