Demolished, but not rehabilitated: 100 Garib Nagar families stare at a monsoon amid rubble

“We’re living like insects,” said Khatum Aslam Shaikh, 60. “There is no electricity, leaving us to suffocate in this heat. We have to fetch water from far away. Our children cry all night because of mosquitoes and rats.”

While several families have temporarily moved in with relatives or rented accommodation nearby, others continue to stay in the settlement. During the day, many camp under the skywalk for relief from the heat. At night, they spread mattresses and mats on their rooftops, hoping to catch a stray breeze.

“Our lives are here,” said Farida Salim Ansari, 47, whose family has lived in Garib Nagar for decades. “My youngest daughter is 14 and studies in Class 10. Her school and tuition classes are nearby. Before the demolitions, we paid Rs 40,000 to enrol my granddaughter in Class 1. How can we uproot ourselves from here?”

With no firm timeline for rehabilitation, some residents have begun clearing debris and carrying out temporary repairs ahead of the rains.

“I sent my family back to our village, but I stayed behind to keep watch over our home,” said resident Firoz Ahmed.

The families were identified as project-affected persons (PAPs) under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) and were found eligible for rehabilitation in a joint survey conducted by the railways and MMRDA in 2021. While their homes were spared from complete demolition, many have been left partially damaged and without water or electricity connections. Residents say there is little clarity on when they will be relocated.

“Rehabilitation homes have been earmarked for the PAPs in the HDIL buildings in Kurla, and repair work is nearly complete. However, the metropolitan commissioner’s approval is still awaited before allotments can be made,” an MMRDA official said.

According to MMRDA officials, the process has been delayed due to questions raised over an earlier rehabilitation proposal. While Western Railway initiated the process following the 2021 survey, it later asked for it to be put on hold, citing a shortage of funds.

The process was revived only in September 2025, when Western Railway renewed its request for rehabilitation housing. Officials said MMRDA is responsible for allotting the homes, while Western Railway is paying approximately Rs 12.5 lakh for each 275 sq ft rehabilitation flat.

However, in April this year, the file was returned by the Metropolitan Commissioner, who sought an explanation from the railways on why the rehabilitation process had been halted after the initial request. While the railways subsequently submitted their response, final approval remains pending.

For the families still living in Garib Nagar, however, the immediate concern is the monsoon. Even if approvals come through in the coming days, officials acknowledge that rehabilitation is unlikely before late July, leaving residents to spend at least part of the rainy season in damaged homes while waiting for houses promised years ago.