The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has identified 39,111 slum structures measuring 14 feet or more across Mumbai, with 611 already served notices ahead of enforcement action.
The three-month drive will begin on October 1 and continue until December 31, with the civic body asking residents to voluntarily remove unauthorised portions before demolition action is taken.
The move follows two fatal incidents involving informal settlements this year. A landslide in Kurla in August claimed eight lives, while a house collapse in Mankhurd a month earlier killed six children. Civic officials said residents involved in both incidents were living in unauthorised structures.
“The drive will start from October 1 and will continue till December 31. We (BMC) have now appealed to residents living in such structures to voluntarily remove the unauthorised portions before the drive begins. We have also warned them that failure to do so will invite demolition action,” a civic official told The Indian Express.
Eastern Suburbs Account For Largest Share
BMC records show that Mumbai has around 2.23 lakh slum structures, of which 39,111 are 14 feet or taller.
The eastern suburbs account for the largest share, with 31,227 structures, followed by 4,536 in the western suburbs and 3,348 in the island city.
The civic administration has already issued notices to 611 structures as part of its initial action.
Officials said several of these settlements are located on land owned by the state or Union government, making coordination between multiple agencies necessary for enforcement.
“Most of the people residing in these housing units are encroaching the land illegally. Earlier this week, there was a meeting where officials of BMC, state government and collector’s department were present. We have decided to take coordinated action going forward to prevent any further loss of lives in such kinds of incidents,” an official said.
Action To Follow Prescribed Procedure
Officials said eviction and demolition action will be carried out after the monsoon, subject to applicable court orders and prescribed procedures.
“There is a court order that prevents eviction drives during the monsoon. There is also a set of SOPs that need to be followed in the process of encroachment removal. As a first step, we are issuing them notices asking them to leave the premises voluntarily. If they fail to do so, the administration will carry out a drive following the government’s prescribed rules,” the official said.
The BMC has urged residents to remove unauthorised additions before October 1 to avoid further enforcement action.
Source: The Indian Express
