July 4, 2025: With the monsoon in full force, residents of 19 ageing chawls near Elphinstone Bridge in Prabhadevi are living under a cloud of uncertainty. These buildings, marked for demolition under the Rs 1,286 crore Worli–Sewri Connector project, remain untouched due to delays in the government’s cluster redevelopment plan.
The 4.5-kilometre-long elevated corridor is designed to link Worli to the under-construction Atal Setu (Sewri–Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Link), aimed at improving traffic movement across the city. However, work has been brought to a standstill owing to unresolved issues surrounding the rehabilitation of affected residents.
Though the state government approved a cluster redevelopment blueprint for the 19 chawls three months ago, the Urban Development Department has yet to assign an implementing authority—delaying both the project and the relocation of residents.
Initially, 19 chawls across Prabhadevi and Parel were to be cleared, but after rehabilitation costs surpassed Rs 5,200 crore, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) revised the project alignment. Only two chawls—Laxmi Nivas and Haji Noorani—along with the old Elphinstone railway bridge, were marked for demolition. These structures were to be replaced by a modern double-decker bridge.
While 83 families and shop owners from the two chawls were moved to transit camps and offered compensation or housing alternatives, many refused the relocation, citing inadequate compensation far below current market rates.
In April, a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis concluded that all 19 chawls would be redeveloped as a single cluster. However, the lack of clarity over which agency will oversee the redevelopment has left residents and the project in limbo.
Meanwhile, the delay continues to fuel frustration among residents, who demand in-situ rehabilitation and timely resolution before further monsoon-related damage occurs.
Source: Lokmat Times
