Form panel to rehabilitate Bandra govt colony residents: Shinde

The colony in Bandra East is spread over 125 acres, of which 35 acres is under encroachment while the remaining 90 acres has around 5,000 staff quarters for state government employees

Mumbai: Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Friday ordered administrative officials to constitute a committee that will identify land and formulate conditions for giving ownership homes to residents of Bandra government colony.

Old, unoccupied buildings in the colony have been razed to make way for construction of a new HC complex. (Hindustan Times)

“Appoint a committee to look into the land issue and related conditions for rehabilitating government employees in ownership homes. The committee should be appointed as soon as possible,” Shinde told officials on Friday, during a meeting with a delegation of colony residents.

The colony in Bandra East is spread over 125 acres, of which 35 acres is under encroachment while the remaining 90 acres has around 5,000 staff quarters for state government employees. Plans to redevelop the colony date back over a decade, but have acquired pace in recent months after the Supreme Court directed the state government to expedite handover of 30.16 acres to the Bombay high court for construction of a new court complex.

The Government Quarters Residents’ Association (GQRA), which represents government employees living in the colony, has been demanding rehabilitation at the same location. In October last year, ahead of the assembly polls, the residents observed a hunger strike to press on their demand. Subsequently, Eknath Shinde, then chief minister, assured them about allocating a land parcel for their rehabilitation.

On Friday, a GQRA delegation met Shinde to follow up on their demand and submit a proposal seeking 16 acres of land for 2,700 homes. The association is not seeking the land for free, but at a concessional rate, clarified Rajesh Jadhav, a GQRA member.

“The government gives land for SRA projects for free, but we have offered to pay for the 16 acres at concessional rates. As per our primary estimate, the amount will be around ₹200-250 crore,” said Jadhav.

During Friday’s meeting, the GQRA delegation told Shinde that the state government had given land parcels to housing societies in nearby areas at 20-25 % of ready reckoner rates. Shinde then discussed the issue with officials and ordered the formation of a committee to work out the details of rehabilitation.