Mumbai: The 14 slum pockets identified as soft target for terror attacks by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) will be finally cleared with the ongoing survey and mapping of illegal slums around the airport.
The state government has given the deadline of November to clear the illegal slums around the airport. As a part of identification and mapping, MIAL officials have identified these 14 slum pockets as vulnerable for targeting the airport in the backdrop of the recent bombings at Brussels airport.
These slum pockets around the airport cover an area of around 24 acres.
The survey began in May this year after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis issued orders, authorising the Additional District Collector of Mumbai (Encroachment) to identify slum dwellers who have illegally occupied the land surrounding Mumbai’s International Airport.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is also assisting MIAL in rehabilitating the slum dwellers. The authorities have now completed the survey in crucial slum pockets of Sandesh Nagar, Kranti Nagar and Indira Nagar.
A source said, “The survey in other slum pockets like Rajendra Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bamanawada and others is in progress and is expected to be completed soon.”
The slum dwellers have cooperated in the survey required for airport development after elected representatives from various political parties joined hands to allay their fears of being homeless after the survey.
The slum dwellers initially feared of being rehabilitated far away from their existing housing location. However, the Chief Minister during a meeting with the authorities said that the slum dwellers would be rehabilitated within two-three kilometres of their present residence under the guidelines framed under “in situ rehabilitation”.
Security of the airport and the city was the prime objective behind the rehabilitation of the slum dwellers as the presence of slums around the airport is likely to be an easy access to miscreants.
A source close to airport development said, “It is important that the city and airport be situated at different places for security reasons. Today, the slum pockets around the airport have become more vulnerable for attacks and hence a survey needs to be conducted first to determine the number of families eligible for rehabilitation.”
As per CM’s orders, a rehabilitation plan for the slum dwellers would be prepared only after the survey of the 14 pockets is completed.
