Mumbai: SRA to issue eviction notices to 13,000 illegal occupants from March 31

Mumbai: The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) on the direction of Bombay High Court will be issuing eviction notices to 13,143 illegal occupants residing in 150 structures, which are a permanent alternative accommodation, from March 31 and complete it before monsoon, said a senior official from the authority, who did not wish to be named.

"After the notices are served, they will be having 48 hrs to prove their authorisation, failing which they are required to vacate these houses, " explained the official.

The identification of eligible slum dwellers in possession of a hut or slum structure is determined before the cut-off date as January 1,1995. Following this, a list of eligible occupants is drawn up.

Those who are not included are given an opportunity to satisfy the competent authority (SRA) that they were in possession of the hut or slum house and the structure also was built prior to the cut off date.

These occupants, on managing to prove their eligibility, are included in the list of eligible occupants styled as Annexure-II, according to the SRA.

The HC's division bench of justices SC Dharmadhikari and RI Changla heard the matter of illegal occupants, wherein it made an observation, on February 5, that the occupants on humanitarian grounds that involves academic sessions of children, exams, rains and festivals are bound to make requests at the time of eviction and SRA officials are well aware of the fact. The occupants are allowed to live.

However, after the extension expires, they do not peacefully handover the possession of the premises. All this is avoidable if a time schedule is drawn up.

Meanwhile, the official of SRA stated that, on April 8, they will submit a plan of action.

Earlier, Jitendra Awhad, state housing minister, in a media briefing held at Yashwantrao Chavan at Nariman Point stated that, on humanitarian grounds, they will ask court for more time.