Mumbai: A key hurdle in the construction of the proposed 120-ft Development Plan (DP) Road connecting Lokhandwala Township to Thakur Village in Kandivali (East) was cleared on Wednesday, with 120 families receiving keys to their rehabilitation flats in the Mahaveer building. The project is expected to provide respite for residents of Lokhandwala Township and provide an alternative from the chronic traffic congestion on Akurli Road.
The project was delayed due to the pending rehabilitation of 319 families in Kandivali East. Of the 319 families, 197 are eligible for rehabilitation. From these, 167 have been allotted alternate accommodation, 47 in Bitcon building and 120 in the Suhas Modi building next to Mahaveer Towers. 30 families are still awaiting rehabilitation.
Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Surve, who distributed the keys to the families, urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to allow residents to remain in their existing homes until April 30, citing the ongoing Class 10 and 12 board examinations. “People can’t simply move into their new flats. They need little time to make alterations in new houses,” Surve said.
“Normally people are given seven days to vacate their homes once they get their keys. But we expect them to vacate their old homes by February end and demolitions should start in March. The 120-ft road should be accessible by May,” Hemant Pant, assistant engineer (maintenance) of the R-S ward, told HT. At present the route is only accessible to two-wheelers.
While the 120 families had received allotment letters for their new flats on the day the BMC elections were announced, they received their flat keys on the day when the city’s 78th mayor took charge. “The rehabilitation of another 28 families is pending. It is likely to happen soon and most probably at Paton Towers,” said Pant.
Local resident Mahesh Satarkar said the rehabilitation to Mahaveer Towers has been held up due to pending dues. “Though people are yet to shift in the SRA’s Mahaveer building, the authorities have already started levying electricity and water bills of the building from residents. This is something that the builder should pay and not residents, said Satarkar. He added that residents had approached their local legislator Prakash Surve to sort the matter and ask the builder to clear these dues. “We are seriously considering asking people to not shift into the buildings till the builder has cleared his dues,” said Satarkar.
Another concern of residents is water supply to the new buildings. “Since most residents haven’t moved in, the builder is yet to start water pumps and will get them functional once people move in,” assured Surve. About 47 families have already shifted to Bitcon towers four months ago and rehabilitation of 39 more families is under consideration, Surve added. “I have worked to ensure that people are rehabilitated within 3km of their homes so that no one has to move to Mahul,” he said.