Mumbai: The rehabilitation of residents who would get displaced by the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project will start within a week, with around 300 families and commercial units, located in Sewri, to be relocated to Kurla and Kanjurmarg at Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s (SRA) rehab tenements. Also a few godowns and factories leased by Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) will have to be demolished for the project. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials are hoping to complete rehabilitation in six months.
“We have done the baseline survey, which gives the socio-economic status of the residents. Currently, we are finalising the list for shifting. They will be issued allotments after verifying their identities. People can be shifted to Kanjurmarg immediately, tenements are ready and they can take possession whenever they want,” said a senior MMRDA official. The vacated land will be guarded by the authorities to prohibit any encroachments on it.
Along with the residential and commercial units, there are around seven godowns/ factories, which will have to make way for the project. “The MMRDA has established a committee under the high court, which is hearing matters of those who are currently in possession of such structures. . If they do not agree to negotiate, then we will move legally,” said the official. We have a public purpose project which is very important and so the court is not going to stop us from evicting them. Legally, the process will go on and compensation will be given.”
To note
- MTHL will connect Sewri to Nhava Sheva
- The project cost is around Rs 20,000 crore
- Once completed, the travel time through MTHL from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai will take only 25 minutes.
