The MMRC had earlier notified 16 buildings in Girgaum and Kalbadevi as affected structures for the construction of the 33.5-km underground metro. (Representative Image: Pradip Das)
Occupants of a building in Kalbadevi have opposed its inclusion in the Kalbadevi and Girgaon Redevelopment Scheme, formulated for the construction of the Metro 3. In a letter to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) on June 15, they have contended that they were included in the scheme much later, and by then, had begun repairs on their building as per directions of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA).
Last month, the residents wrote to the CM and now, they plan to write to the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.
Jain Bhavan, a building with 26 occupants in Kalbadevi, received a notice from the MHADA on February 9, directing them to conduct structural repairs on their building as it was in a precarious condition. However, a month after they began work, they received a notice from the MMRC, stating that the building would be affected during the construction of Metro 3 as it falls in the alignment.
“Considering that the amount given by the MHADA for the repairs would be insufficient, all the occupants decided to pool in money and we began repairs on April 19. Over a month later, on May 25, we got a notice from the MMRC informing us that our building would be affected by the metro construction. Many had put in their money by then and those who had not, refused to complete the payments. We are still struggling to pay the contractors,” said H M Jain, one of the co-owners of the century-old building.
The MMRC had earlier notified 16 buildings in Girgaum and Kalbadevi as affected structures for the construction of the 33.5-km underground metro. However, after certain changes in the alignment, the numbers increased to 19.
Last month, the Jain Bhavan Tenants’ Association wrote to CM Devendra Fadnavis, seeking his intervention in the matter.
“Under the circumstances, we need your kind help to find out the truth that how our building is declared affected for metro work and if it is so then why MHADA has taken repairs work and why our building was not notified earlier in affected areas,” Jain wrote in the letter.
After not receiving a response for over a month, he now intends to write to the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil. “If there is a genuine need for us to move out of the building, we will do it for the project. But if they have changed the alignment to suit the needs of builders and get more FSI, then we cannot be unfairly punished for it,” said Jain.
According to the redevelopment scheme, the MMRC will provide the occupants of the 19 structures temporary accommodation or rent during the construction of the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ metro corridor. After that, they will be provided in-situ rehabilitation in redeveloped buildings with additional space. The MMRC officials were unavailable for a comment.
