1000 illegal shanties demolished in Navi Mumbai

The demolition drive, the largest this year, was conducted under police bandobast, using heavy machinery and a large number of civic personnel and labourers

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) demolished more than 1,000 illegal tenements in the city over the past week. The demolition drive, the largest this year, was conducted under police bandobast, using heavy machinery and a large number of civic personnel and labourers.

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Around 650 shanties were demolished on Monday followed by 150 tenements on Tuesday, a few tenements on Wednesday, and over 150 tenements on Thursday. The tenements were located in Vashigaon in sector 31, close to the Vashi railway station; the creek area in Kopar Khairane; areas close to the Belapur and Nerul MIDC complexes; Durgmata Nagar in sector 8B of CBD Belapur; and areas along highways, footpaths and dividers in other parts of the city.

Dr Rahul Gethe, NMMC deputy municipal commissioner (anti-encroachment), said slums had sprung up on grounds reserved for gardens, along the creek and near the Sion-Panvel highway. “Illegal slums drain the city’s resources, serve as dens for anti-social activities and affect the overall development of the city. We have appealed to the residents to inform us of illegal encroachments to ensure maximum action before the monsoon, during which such drives are usually not conducted,” Gethe told HT.