Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar redevelopment: 2500 huts have been evacuated so far
Maharashtra: Under the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar Redevelopment Project in Ghatkopar, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority has completed the survey of 10,500 structures and completed eligibility determination of residents. In the first phase, the work of evacuation and demolition of 4053 huts in N19 began in September. Accordingly, the slum authority has demolished 2,500 of the 4053 huts during the period from September to December 2024 and the slum authority is planning to soon vacate the remaining 1,500 huts and clear the entire plot in the first phase and transfer this plot to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The MMRDA will extend the East Freeway from Ghatkopar to Thane. In this extension, some huts in Ramabainagar and Kamarajnagar were to be displaced.
The responsibility of rehabilitation of the displaced slum dwellers was taken up by MMRDA and thereafter the State Government gave the responsibility of rehabilitation of the entire 16,575 slums of Ramabainagar and Kamarajnagar to MMRDA on joint partnership basis. Accordingly, the project is being implemented jointly by the Jhopu Authority and MMRDA. Accordingly, the Jhopu Authority has the job of surveying the construction, determining eligibility and evacuating the slums and handing over the vacant plot to MMRDA. Accordingly, a senior Jhopu official informed that the work of determining eligibility and evacuating the slums is currently underway by the Jhopu Authority. Out of the 16575 slums of Ramabainagar and Kamarajnagar, only 14454 slums will actually be redeveloped The rehabilitation project will be executed in two phases by MMRDA.
Therefore, in the first phase, the work of evacuating the slums is currently underway by the slum department. Accordingly, the eligibility of 2827 out of 4053 hut holders in the first phase has been completed. Officials informed that till now the huts of 2500 thousand people have been vacated. The process of eligibility of the remaining slum dwellers is going on. Officials also said that the eligibility will be completed as soon as possible, the huts of the first phase will be removed, the plot will be vacated and it will be handed over to MMRDA. They also clarified that since the process of clearing the slums of the second phase will take time, the work of removing the slums of the second phase will start after the completion of the first phase. Zopu Authority has given a letter of intent to MMRDA for the construction of the first phase on 6 September 2024. The construction proposal and map of building number 1 and 2 of this phase have been approved by Zopu on 13 December 2024. Therefore, MMRDA has informed that a tender will soon be issued by MMRDA to appoint a contractor for the construction of the first phase.
