The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced plans to redevelop the municipal sanitation workers’ colony at Arthur Road, replacing 225 existing residential units with nearly 2,500 homes under the Ashray Yojana. Civic authorities have clarified that religious structures at the site are being relocated and not demolished, urging residents not to pay heed to rumours.
Of the four temples located within the colony premises, three have already been shifted. Officials stated that the remaining Lakshmi Narayan temple is in the process of being relocated. The redevelopment work is expected to begin once the relocation exercise is completed.
The Arthur Road project is part of a larger plan under which 30 out of 46 BMC sanitation worker colonies across Mumbai will be redeveloped. As part of the transition, the 225 existing homes at the site will be vacated. Affected residents will receive a monthly rent allowance of Rs 20,000 along with a one-time relocation assistance of Rs 75,000. The redevelopment initiative is estimated to cost the civic body around Rs 5.4 crore annually until completion. Once finished, the project is expected to provide housing for approximately 2,500 sanitation workers.
Addressing concerns over the religious structures, civic officials reiterated that no demolition is taking place. “The BMC administration is making every effort to start the project as soon as possible, as it will have to bear a significant financial burden until the project is completed. The temple relocation work is expected to be completed within the next 10 days, after which the project will commence promptly,” said an official from the BMC’s Solid Waste Management department.
Authorities said the redevelopment aims to improve housing conditions for sanitation workers while ensuring due process during the transition.
Source: The Free Press Journal
