Slum-dwellersS on airport land against relocation, will vote to save land

“It’s a way of life for us, we are not affected by it. We have adjusted to the life that takes place across the fence,” said octogenarian Salim Sheikh, a voter from the Chandivali constituency, whose primary motive to vote is to save his land from being taken away, especially his masjid.

The rehabilitation of the slum dwellers on the airport land has been a long-standing demand of the residents, whose stiff opposition has until now obstructed all plans to free up the 276 acres they occupy within the severely space-constrained airport. The protests by these residents have gotten even louder as they do not want their religious structures to be relocated.

“This is private property, how can they move our masjid?” claims Yasir, a resident of Kranti Nagar, who will be voting for the first time and claims to have the documents to prove the legitimacy of the structure.

A Hanuman temple at the rear end of the airport deep into the Jari Mari slum is located hardly three steps away from the wall that separates the slum and the airport.

“In 2000, we had family members who were relocated to Dindoshi. They lived on the other side of the wall before it was made but the temple remained where it is. Now we are the caretakers of the temple,” said Ganesh Gawli.

“The temple is not causing any disturbance to the airport. I do not see the need for it to be relocated. The government has not approached us but the airport authorities are demanding our land,” said Shivnath Gond, 75.

The former guardian minister for the suburbs and the sitting local MLA from the Congress, Naseem Khan has said the government did take a decision but there was “no map put to paper”.

“We had successfully relocated all the religious structures during the construction of the Metro. I believe we again can peacefully find a solution,” said Khan, who is standing for re-election from the Chandivali constituency.

rohit.alok@expressindia.com