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Pydhonie demolition: Residents sold their legal homes to buy ill-fated flats
It is a life among debris and stinking garbage for the 90 families who have refused to move out of Gulistan Apartments on Ismail Curtay Road in Pydhonie
It is a life among debris and stinking garbage for the 90 families who have refused to move out of Gulistan Apartments on Ismail Curtay Road in Pydhonie. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that began demolishing the illegal nine-storey building four days ago, has so far ripped off the flooring on top two floors.
Ironically, all the families once owned legal homes in Pydhonie but were lured by the builder into buying bigger homes at a cheaper rate.
Mohammed Hussain, who lives on the third floor, said he had purchased this five-room flat in 2018 after selling his old house in nearby Gogri Mohalla which was too small for a 20-member family.
“Since this building had electricity and water connections provided by the BMC, I thought it was authorised. But the builder kept me in the dark. At least, my previous flat was legal. Now, my ration card, passport, electricity bill, Aadhaar, PAN, and water bill are based on this address,” he said, claiming the builder had earned around ₹2 crore per floor.
Abdul, Hussain’s son, said that on every floor, there is a widow with children other than senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Sana Khatri, another resident of third floor and a widow, said there is no earning member in her family and she had spent ₹22 lakh on this flat from her late husband’s insurance money.
“If I had continued to live behind Gulistan building, I would have had a roof over my head. We sold our legal home and now lost this flat on which we put our life savings. Is it easy to climb up and down the stairs in the dark? We haven’t eaten or slept worrying about our future,” she said.
Rasheeda Multani said she shudders at the thought of BMC ripping off the flooring of her home. The fifth-floor resident is also a widow who lives with her two children.
“We feel safer here than living on roads. We don’t know where to go. But why would the BMC supply water and power to an illegal building? Besides, we were not told till the last minute that we would have to vacate this building. Or else, we would have made our arrangements,” she said.
Hameeda Mansoori, who owns a flat on the first floor, said the garbage piles up in the passageway as the BMC does not pick it up. “We might be stricken by some illness. Children had their exams on Monday, and have been missing school for the last four days.”
Iqbal Chagla, a resident of ninth floor, said his two children are at his relative’s home. “We have sent our belongings to various relatives’ homes but they will keep them only for two days.”
Amol Mesharam, C ward’s designated officer and in-charge of the demolition, said the BMC will bring the illegal building to ground zero.
“The demolition is in process on the eighth floor. The monsoon rule on demolition isn’t applicable to this illegal building. Residents can live at their own cost and risk. The BMC has followed due process of law and issued notices to the residents to vacate their homes. We have already taken enough remedial and preventive measures,” Mesharam said.
HT reported on Monday how four years after Gulistan building’s illegal status was raised in the assembly and C ward officials were suspended by the government for allowing the structure to come up right under their nose, the BMC disconnected the electricity and water connections.
