Mumbai: Amid the Siddhivinayak Temple grand makeover plan, a group of displaced Marathi families living near the temple area has raised concerns over their long-pending redevelopment and housing issues.
In a video shared by Dadarmumbaikar on Instagram, residents of Purushottam Wadi near the temple claimed that around 140 Marathi families have been affected due to redevelopment issues and other pending matters. As a result, many families in the locality are being forced to live elsewhere at their own expense.
A resident in distress said, "The government has Rs 500 crores for the maintenance of the Siddhivinayak Temple, but for the people living in the area around the temple, the 140 Marathi families who have been homeless for the past four years, the government does not have the money to rehabilitate them or provide them with their rightful homes."
The families also questioned the government's 'Pagdi Mukta Mumbai' initiative, asking whether it would ensure proper rehabilitation or lead to further displacement of long-time residents. A resident questioned, "Is this the Pagdi Mukta Mumbai you are going to create?"
Not just this, videos shared by the handle also showed residents staging a protest and demanding that the work be completed at the earliest. The handle also claimed that some residents had also put up banners in the area to draw the attention of the administration, however, after a complaint was reportedly made to the BMC, action was taken to remove the banners.
Meanwhile, FPJ tried to contact the temple authorities but received no response on the matter. The story will be updated once more information about the case becomes available.
Siddhivinayak Temple Makeover Plans
The Maharashtra government and BMC have launched a Rs 493-crore redevelopment of Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi, with CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde performing the Bhoomi Pujan on Monday.
The beautification project is aimed at modernising the temple precinct while preserving its spiritual and architectural heritage. The 24-month project will add marble-style entrances, covered darshan walkways, queue corridors, landscaped spaces and two-level basement parking for vehicles.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
