Residents of the Bombay Improvement Trust (BIT) chawls near Sandhurst Road railway station have demanded redevelopment on the lines of the city’s BDD chawls, even as civic and railway authorities classify the structures as old and potentially unsafe.
Safety Concerns Raised by Authorities
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Central Railway (CR) have identified seven BIT chawls among 24 buildings located between Sandhurst Road and Masjid stations as dilapidated. Officials say these structures could pose risks to both residents and railway operations.
“Stagnation of water near these structures could cause them to weaken further and collapse in the future. If these structures collapse, they could hamper rail traffic movement or even result in a catastrophe, endangering the lives of railway passengers and residents,” a railway official said.
Authorities also pointed out that sewage outlets from these buildings discharge towards railway tracks, creating slushy conditions that may impact rail safety.
Residents Disagree, Demand Redevelopment
However, residents have strongly contested the claims, maintaining that the buildings remain structurally sound despite being constructed during the British era.
“These buildings are structurally safe and we have informed the authorities about this multiple times,” said Sanjay K, a third-generation resident and member of the local association. “We want the government to redevelop these chawls like they are doing for BDD chawls.”
Another resident, Kishore K, added, “Our demand is, we must be provided 500-sqft homes, similar to BDD chawl residents. When funds are available, why can’t they be used for our welfare?”
Redevelopment Challenges Remain
The seven chawls, built under the City of Bombay Improvement Act, 1898, consist of four-storey structures with 372 small tenements. While residents push for redevelopment, officials note that the buildings fall within a railway buffer zone, complicating decision-making.
“The buildings fall under the railway buffer zone. So we have written them a letter asking them to take necessary steps to address the issue,” a BMC official said.
CR officials, however, stated, “We do not have any policy for rehabilitation. It is unclear if the BMC is recognising them as illegal tenements since their letter claims the buildings fall under the railway buffer zone. We will have to study the letter before responding further.”
With safety concerns and redevelopment demands at odds, the future of these chawls remains uncertain.
Source: Hindustan Times
