Govt to form panel of MLAs for policy decision on rehabilitation of PAP

A committee of MLAs will be formed to make policy decisions on rehabilitating project affected people in Mumbai City, according to the state government. The decision was made in response to concerns raised by an MLC regarding the rehabilitation of families affected by road widening projects in Worli. The government assured that the projects will not proceed without first rehabilitating the affected people, and that a committee of MLAs will be formed to oversee the rehabilitation process. The government also refused to order a stay on notices issued to the affected people, stating that the rehabilitation process will be finalized before work begins.

Mumbai: A committee of MLAs will be formed to take policy decisions on rehabilitation of the project affected people (PAP) in Mumbai City, the state government informed the legislative council on Wednesday.

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On Wednesday, Sunil Shinde, Sena (UBT) MLC, raised the issue of rehabilitation of the affected families due to widening of three roads —Ganpatrao Kadam road, Keshav Rao Khade road and E Moses road — in Worli.

Industry minister Uday Samant said that the work on widening of the roads in Worli will not start without the rehabilitation of the PAP.

He added that a committee of MLAs will be formed to take policy decisions on the rehabilitation of people affected by the three road widening projects and other projects in Mumbai City.

“I assure you that the government will not start these projects without rehabilitation of the affected people. Also, the government will form a committee of MLAs from Mumbai City to take policy decisions on the rehabilitation,” said Samant.

Shinde also demanded that people should be rehabilitated in the same zone of the BMC and the government should order a stay on the notice issued by the civic body to the affected people.

Shinde asked the government to reduce the proposed width of the Ganpatrao Kadam road. “The proposed width of the road after its widening is 100 feet. But if the government changes it to 90 feet, it will benefit the people in cess buildings.” said Shinde.

Samant said, “There are around 786 people affected by the widening of Ganpatrao Kadam road. Though the BMC has issued notices to them, only a few of them have been responded to it.”

Samant refused to order a stay on the notice given to the PAP. “I have given an assurance that the project will start only after the rehabilitation of the PAP. It will take about one and a half years to two years to start the work on this project.

“So, there is no need to give a stay on the notice issued to the people. By the time work starts, the government will finalise the policy and the rehabilitation process,” said Samant.