Slum dwellers residing on the land allocated for the construction of a depot, which is part of the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro Rail project, on Wednesday protested Mumbai Regional Development Authority’s (MMRDA) move after its officials visited the site for surveying the plot of land.The MMRDA officials had to flee the site after the opposition from the locals. “We have held several rounds of discussion with the people opposing the move. Also, we have explained them the rehabilitation policy which is uniform across the city. Despite this, if the protest continues, we will have to initiate a strong police action,” said MMRDA Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad. The land is important for the MMRDA as it plans to construct a depot -cum-car shed on the proposed plot of land. Of the 20 hectare of land required for the depot, the MMRDA owns 12 hectare. The slum-dwellers reside on the rest of the 8-hectare land. “We want the MMRDA to build the carshed on the vacant plot which is available. This plot is not occupied by the slum-dwellers,” said Baba Singh, the convenor of the Zhopadatti Bachao Samiti, Kandivli (West). “The proposed site has nearly 14,000 families, 2000 shops, small scale industries and eight recognised schools.” “It would be difficult to work, if opposition continues. We need to carry out the survey on the rehabilitation and make transit arrangement till the affected people get 269 sq ft houses. We are not even shifting them out from the site in order to avoid inconvenience,” added Gaikwad.
