Residents assured on Elphinstone Bridge reconstruction

The impasse over rehabilitating residents impacted by the proposed Elphinstone Bridge reconstruction has inched forward, with a meeting on Monday held to sort out two important issues: details of the cluster redevelopment, which would be declared in ten days; and a verbal undertaking that residents of two buildings, Haji Noorani and Laxmi Niwas, which will have to be demolished for the bridge’s reconstruction, would not be shifted to Kurla for rehabilitation.

The meeting was arranged by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai and was attended by MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee, and representatives of residents of the 19 buildings impacted by the project.

“They told us the cluster redevelopment matter is with the UDD, and will then go to the MMRDA, which will be carrying out the cluster redevelopment, in the next eight to ten days. Once we have it in writing, will we allow work on the bridge’s demolition proceed,” said Munaf Thakur, who owns flats in Haji Noorani building.

As for the proposed shifting of displaced residents to Kurla, Thakur said the MMRDA commissioner promised that would not happen. “The MMRDA has said they will shift us to nearby MHADA housing. They said this might happen in the next three months. The last resort will be giving us rent in exchange for rehabilitation,” he said.

Desai said nothing has been finalised. “The residents have a very real apprehension that they will be shifted away from the area they have lived in their entire life, and that their lives and subsequent generations may be stuck in faraway transit camps. Currently, the matter is with the UDD, which will then instruct the MMRDA to take over at the earliest.”

Officials from MMRDA did not respond to requests for comment.