Mumbai’s long-pending slum rehabilitation projects on approximately 437 acres of privately owned trust land could soon move forward, with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) preparing to issue fresh notices to the concerned landowners.
Redevelopment across these areas has remained stalled for years because several private trusts and landholders have not submitted proposals to rehabilitate the slum residents occupying their properties. The latest move aims to accelerate the process and provide relief to thousands of affected families.
Under the revised procedure, landowners will be required to submit rehabilitation proposals within 60 days of receiving notices. If they fail to comply, the SRA will conduct a hearing before declaring the relevant land a slum. The authority will subsequently initiate land acquisition proceedings and take steps to launch the rehabilitation schemes.
The affected properties include land belonging to Bhandup Khot Trust, Bairamji Jijibhoy, F. E. Dinshaw, Godrej, Kanjur Khot Trust, Kurla Estate, Wadia and another trust.
The SRA had previously issued notices in 2015, directing the landowners to submit redevelopment proposals within 30 days. Those who did not respond faced the prospect of their land being declared a slum and acquired for rehabilitation. However, the trust owners challenged the decision in court, which directed the authority to provide them with an opportunity to present their proposals.
Following the court’s intervention, the SRA extended the submission period to 120 days. Despite this, the landowners did not come forward even after a decade, leaving rehabilitation plans for the 437 acres unresolved.
The authority has now decided to issue fresh notices and reduce the proposal submission and hearing timeline from 120 days to 60 days.
The initiative forms part of the SRA’s broader effort to speed up Mumbai’s slum rehabilitation and achieve its goal of making the city slum-free. Officials expect the revised process to help overcome long-standing delays and enable individual projects to proceed once the required legal and acquisition procedures are completed.
Source: Loksatta
