Mumbai: SHRC Acknowledges Chief Secretary Of Maharashtra's Efforts With 28 New Shelters For Homeless; Criticises BMC For Non-Compliance

Mumbai: The Chief Secretary (CS) of Maharashtra informed the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) that 28 new shelters have been set up to provide accommodation for homeless individuals in the city, with plans for additional shelters on land and vacant properties provided by agencies such as MHADA and Mumbai Port Trust. The measures aim to house approximately 850 homeless individuals.

This update was provided in an additional affidavit filed, after the SHRC took a suo motu cognizance in 2022 of a news report published in a regional newspaper. The report highlighted the alarming state of shelter homes in Mumbai, revealing that only 23 out of 125 designated shelters were operational, despite Supreme Court directives mandating adequate facilities for the homeless. The SHRC, presided over by Justice K. K. Tated and M. A. Sayeed, subsequently directed the concerned departments to address these shortcomings.

Initially, an affidavit was submitted by BMC’s Director of Planning, Prachi Jambhekar. However, the SHRC criticized the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its “casual and mechanical” compliance with its earlier directives. In its reprimand, the SHRC pointed out that the report submitted by Jambhekar was nearly identical to an earlier affidavit. The commission remarked, “It is a serious lapse which needs to be brought to the notice of the Municipal Commissioner as the enquiries before the Commission are quasi judicial in nature and the reports submitted should be properly checked and verified rather than submitting it in a casual and mechanical manner. Such conduct amounts to misuse of process of law and unwarranted consumption of Commission’s time in scrutinizing and inspecting the same reports again and again.”

Following this, the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra submitted an additional affidavit detailing significant steps to rectify the situation. Reports from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), and other stakeholders revealed that 28 new shelters have been established. Plans are underway to create more shelters on land and vacant properties provided by MHADA, Mumbai Port Trust, and other agencies.

The state government has also formed the Rajyastariya Nivara Saniyantran Committee, headed by retired IAS officer Ujjwal Uke, to oversee surveys, monitor municipal councils, and ensure timely action. Stakeholders were directed to hand over vacant land and properties to the MCGM for immediate shelter construction. The Urban Development Department submitted detailed updates to the SHRC, asserting that the issue was being addressed diligently.

Acknowledging these corrective measures, the SHRC concluded, “Appropriate damage control steps have been taken, bringing a logical end to this controversy. Further inquiry is not warranted,” thereby disposing of the case.