Mumbai: The lottery for 120 residential units for project affected persons (PAPs) in Kandivali (E)’s Singh Estate will be carried out on Monday, confirmed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The remaining 38 structures will be relocated in the third phase, making way for the Magathane-Goregaon 120ft development plan (DP) road.
Third Phase to Address Remaining 38 Structures
On October 1, 2024, The Free Press Journal reported that the BMC rejected the chief minister’s direction to realign the proposed 120 ft DP road from Magathane to Goregaon, to save the slum structures in Singh Estate, stating that the realignment is technically not possible. The BMC chief had passed the order while hearing Lokhandwala Residents Associations' petition forwarded by the Bombay High Court and cited that the proposed plan has been implemented and most part of the road has already been constructed.
After a six months-long inaction following its own order, the BMC commenced the demolition of illegal residential structures in Singh Estate. The first batch of 47 residential units were allotted to PAPs in Bitcon Infrastructure’s project in Kandivali (E)’s Poisar Village after a lottery held on June 19 after a representation from Lokhandwala Residents’ Association (LRA).
After the completion of demolition of the first batch of 47 structures in October, the rehabilitation of 120 affected families at Suhas Modi CHS in Kandivali (E)’s Ashok Nagar was approved by the Minister of Housing and a lottery to allot residential units will be held on Monday. According to assistant engineer (maintenance) of BMC’s R/South ward, the process of shifting the structure owners to the allotted PAPs and the demolition of the illegal structures will be demolished following the lottery.
Demolition to Follow Immediately After Lottery
Once the process is completed, the civic body will commence the third phase of the rehabilitation in which the families of the remaining 38 structures will be shifted to the PATON project in Lokhandwala Township. However, Kandivali residents fear that the upcoming municipal elections will engage the civic staff and delay the process.
Bina Praharaj, a member of LRA, said "We've now reached the end of the tunnel after a decade-long struggle with the rays of light clearly visible. We thank our MLA, MP and the BMC for the unified work done in the best interest of us residents."
Residents Fear Election-Related Delays
"The upcoming municipal elections can possibly delay the last phase of the lottery due to the staff being deployed for election duty, but we've been assured that the corporation will try their best to complete it. We're hopeful to expect the collateral process of demolition and the beginning of the road construction by February 2026 post elections at the end of January" said Shishir Vivekanand Shetty, co-founder of LRA.
LRA founders Shetty and Rajiv Kashyap, who had filed the petition before the Bombay High Court, got the DP Road implementation order in October 2024, hoping for execution within six months. After realising the time taken for the same, LRA started rigorously following up with the BMC with systematic documentation from April ensuring time-bound implementation of the said DP road.
Bina Praharaj, a member of LRA, said "We've now reached the end of the tunnel after a decade-long struggle with the rays of light clearly visible. We thank our MLA, MP and the BMC for the unified work done in the best interest of us residents."
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