500 residents of Kailash Parbat CHS stare at demolition; no accommodation, help at hand

The BMC has declared that all 89 families of Kailash Parbat will be evacuated, by force if need be, on June 19th

Mumbai: For the 500 residents of Kailash Parbat Cooperative Housing Society located adjacent to the BKC-Kurla junction, the pall of gloom that descended on June 7-- when the Supreme Court dismissed their petition challenging the society’s C1 (dangerous) status—has still not lifted.

500 residents in Kailash Parbat CHS adjacent to BKC junction to be rendered homeless, as BMC will come armed with police protection on June 19 to evict them after court ordered the demolition. (Satish Bate/HT )

The BMC has declared that all 89 families of Kailash Parbat will be evacuated, by force if need be, on June 19th. The police have already warned the residents that cases will be registered if they resist eviction. This will bring the curtain down on a long battle against demolition proceedings and which has entailed five structural audit reports and many a court case.

Mehmood Ahmed, one of the residents of the society, told HT, “The MMRDA had first declared the building under C(2b) category scheduled for major repairs in August 2020, since the building was located close to the site of Metro work and SCLR construction.”

But now with demolition looming large and the monsoon upon them, there is panic among the residents. Parvez Majeed, another resident, said, “The BMC has told us there will be forcible eviction and that they will disconnect our water supply but there is no provision for alternative accommodation or rent. The builder has said that if the building is razed to ground, he will contemplate giving rent on a monthly basis. How can we leave with no assurance from the builder? We will be on the roads with ailing senior citizens and children.”

It is Majeed’s allegation that builders, in connivance with H east ward authorities are chalking out ambitious plans for redevelopment, get old and dilapidated building declared as C1 status and start eviction since the area is now prime real estate right next to BKC. “Four strong and structurally sound buildings have been forcibly demolished under C1 category in two years in H East ward,” he alleged.

Kailash Parbat residents have undertaken five structural audits since 2021 to ascertain the status of the building. With contradictory reports, the Bombay HC appointed a technical advisory committee (TAC) which in turn appointed IIT Bombay to give the final verdict.

TAC, based on IIT Bombay’s report, passed an order on January 16 this year declaring the building under C1 category, he said.

As June 19 draws closer, the female residents say they will take the lead in resisting the demolition. In May too they had thwarted the BMC’s attempts to paste eviction notices on the building. “There are some residents who are even talking about committing suicide. We have elderly people who are on ventilator and many children among us. All we ask for is alternative accommodation if they want us to vacate. The BMC tells us we are risking the lives of even passers-by on the road by staying put, but what of our lives? Where do we go,” said Ahmed.

“Yeh hamara ‘sarmaya’ hai (This is our entire capital). Our fathers and fathers- in-law had purchased these flats. This is a prime real estate property adjacent to BKC. These are 500 sq. ft flats, but we are not even offered 35% FSI. The condition of our homes is good. We are not against redevelopment. We just want a good developer,” said Shaheen F Mehmood.

Swapnaja Kshirsagar, assistant commissioner, H East ward, said, “Originally, there are 132 families in Kailash Parbat society and only a few have vacated. “We are taking area measurements today and after Eid next week we will take police protection and start the eviction process. Residents want the BMC to intervene in this matter but it isn’t our job at all. If they risk their lives by staying put, the BMC will be blamed. The building is dilapidated and IIT Bombay submitted the report to TAC which in turn was submitted in the high court. There is infra work also going on nearby. Who will be held responsible if it further affects the structural stability of their buildings? They are staying at their own risk.”

While the BMC has sensitised the residents with a presentation on the dangers of living in such a dilapidated building, their helplessness is real. One of the residents of the mixed-use society, Shahrukh Mohammed Shaikh, who left the building four months ago to move to Belapur had to come back to Kailash Parbat after the builder refused to pay the promised rent. But with the society chairman and secretary having already shifted and the builder staying away, they have no one to turn to.