BMC to map its infra sites to reduce duplicity, forgery in compensation payout

While carrying out various infrastructure projects like road widening, construction of flyovers and widening of drainage systems, various slums and residential properties fall are affected by such development projects.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

THE BMC is set to carry out virtual mapping of the upcoming infrastructure project sites being implemented by the civic body in Mumbai to maintain transparency and reduce duplicity, forgery in the process of compensating and rehabilitating Project Affected Persons (PAPs).

While carrying out various infrastructure projects like road widening, construction of flyovers and widening of drainage systems, various slums and residential properties fall are affected by such development projects. Those living in these residential properties and slums are termed as PAPs and BMC has to compensate them by either providing them with alternate accommodation or monetary benefits. However, due to the unavailability of proper digitised records, there is no count of PAPs during the implementation of a project.

“With this new GIS system in place, we will create the two virtual maps of a place where an infrastructure project will be implemented. These two maps will show the situation before the PAPs were removed and after the PAPs were removed. By doing this, we will get a clear picture of the ground situation of how many people were affected and the actual proportion of the project that affected these people,” said Prashant Gaikwad, assistant municipal commissioner of the BMC’s estate department.

Gaikwad said that this system will enable transparency and will avoid duplicity as there have been instances in the past when people have forged documents claiming that they are eligible for compensation. He said that the mapping data on PAPs will be compiled by the local ward office, which will later be fed into the digital record book of the BMC designed specifically for allotting compensation to the PAPs.

“All the data will be linked with the Aadhar of the PAP beneficiaries and we will keep a record of their digital signatures also. We will cross-reference the address in the record with the virtual map to check if they match and before the final allotment of compensation, we will cross-check Aadhar to see if the beneficiaries have any other registered properties in Mumbai or anywhere in Maharashtra,” Gaikwad said.

“This will reduce forgery to a large extent. Earlier, there have been cases where people had set up shanties intentionally near project sites just to get compensation. Many have also approached the court in their defence, which had led to further delay in the projects,” he added.

Pratip Acharya

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More

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