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Earlier this week, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) allotted 343 tenements to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to resettle families displaced by the INR 18,838-crore Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project. While the allotment paves the way for the project to proceed, displaced families are unhappy about being moved from Borivali East. They have demanded in-situ rehabilitation or construction of additional housing to accommodate all 650 affected families. The 11.84-km long tunnel, expected to reduce travel time between Thane and the western suburbs, is set for completion by mid-2028.
Six months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the INR 18,838-crore Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has allocated 343 tenements to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for the resettlement of families affected by the project. These families, residing in the slum colonies at Magathane, are being relocated to different areas, sparking unrest as they demand rehabilitation at the same site. The move is necessary for the construction of the tunnel, as tunnel boring machines will be used at the four-acre plot housing the slum dwellers. Advertisement
The twin-tube tunnel, which will pass under Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), is set to provide direct connectivity between Western Express Highway in Borivli and Eastern Express Highway via Ghodbunder Road in Thane. The 11.84-km twin tunnel is scheduled for completion by mid-2028. The contract for the project was awarded to Larsen & Toubro and Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd in April 2023.
SRA has allotted 290 tenements to the MMRDA at Ganesh Nagar in Kandivali West, 29 at Babhrekar Nagar in Malad West, and the remaining 24 at Gaondevi in Dahisar West. The buildings are still under construction, and affected families will receive a monthly rent until they are ready to move in.
Despite these arrangements, the relocation has faced resistance. Project-affected families, together with local MLA Prakash Surve, met MMRDA officials earlier this week and demanded rehabilitation on-site. They expressed dissatisfaction that only 343 of the 650 families living at the project site are being rehoused. Surve stated that if the relocation could not happen at the same location, the government should acquire a neighbouring MHADA plot and build additional housing for the remaining families.
Residents expressed concerns over the two-year rent guarantee and the uncertainties surrounding the plans for their resettlement after that period. The MMRDA has maintained that construction of new buildings for rehabilitation can only begin as the project nears completion.
SRA said no more hurdles to the project remain with respect to acquisition of slum land. Sources said MMRDA has now initiated the acquisition of 11.04 hectares of non-forest land for the project.
However, the resolution of the present concerns is crucial for its smooth progress. The MMRDA's commitment to addressing the residents' issues and ensuring adequate housing will be vital to the successful execution of this major infrastructure initiative.
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