Maha CM to officials: Speed-up Mumbai airport slum rehabilitation work

Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has asked officials to accelerate the much-delayed rehabilitation of the squatters on airport land in Mumbai, Indian Express has reported.

The slum around Mumbai airport is spread across 276 acres of land ― out of 1,900 acres of airport land ― and is occupied by over 80,000 slum families. The process of relocation is yet to be sorted out.

According to the IE report, officials stated that the relocation of 17,200 huts will likely be carried out to near the Mithi river banks in Kurla — Indira Nagar, Sevak Nagar, Kranti Nagar, Sandesh Nagar, Vijay Nagar, and Gandhi Nagar.

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The report further said that 37 buildings had been built on a Kurla plot for the relocation of slum dwellers. However, these buildings are now in a dilapidated state.

CM Thackeray directed the officials to repair these buildings and start accommodating the slum dwellers.

He also conceded to an alternate plan of the Airports Authority of India to rehabilitate some of the slum families on its own land parcels in Marol, Chakala, and Vakola.

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Officials further discussed the redevelopment of the British-era Bombay Development Directorate chawls in Worli and Naigaon that has been much delayed.