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Demolition of final roadblock for Sewri-Worli connector from April 27
The building, housing 17 residents and six shopkeepers, is the final barrier to the completion of key pillars for the 4.5-km connector project.
The Sewri–Worli connector is a key east-west link that will connect the Coastal Road with the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. (File Photo)
Demolition of the Haji Noorani building – the last structure obstructing the Sewri–Worli connector—will begin from April 27, with authorities directing all 23 occupants to vacate by April 24.
The building, housing 17 residents and six shopkeepers, is the final barrier to the completion of key pillars for the 4.5-km connector project.
The delay in clearing the structure has held up construction work being executed by J Kumar, even as the project’s September deadline draws closer.
The adjacent Laxmi Niwas building, the first of two structures in the alignment, began demolition in late March.
However, the Haji Noorani building remained a sticking point for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) due to rehabilitation-related issues.
In January, the MMRDA had issued offers to 78 residents from both buildings, providing rehabilitation housing through MHADA in areas such as Dadar, Prabhadevi and Parel.
Eligible residents were allotted 405 sq ft homes, with financial adjustments for any variation in size.
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Six residents of Haji Noorani building had initially objected to the rehabilitation options offered in Dadar, Byculla and Wadala, citing concerns over location and building conditions. This prompted the MMRDA to source additional housing, delaying the process until a fresh lottery for remaining units was conducted earlier this week. Evacuation and demolition notices were subsequently issued.
While some residents have sought more time to arrange funds for larger replacement homes, officials indicated that demolition will proceed as scheduled. Those recently allotted alternative flats will be given additional time for payments, officials said.
Rohit Mayekar, a resident who was reassigned a 450 sq ft flat in Prabhadevi after an earlier offer in Dadar, said he has been asked to pay Rs 22 lakh for the additional area. “It will take time to arrange the amount,” he said.
Meanwhile, three ground-floor occupants are yet to receive rehabilitation housing, with their eligibility under cessed building norms still under review.
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The Sewri–Worli connector is a key east-west link that will connect the Coastal Road with the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.
A double-decker bridge is also planned at the site of the former Elphinstone bridge, with the lower deck serving local traffic and the upper deck forming part of the connector.
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