Lokmanya Nagar residents see red over stay on redevelopment

The project which had finally begun after years of delay, was put on hold after local BJP MLA Hemant Rasane requested chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to bring it under an integrated cluster redevelopment plan

The residents of Lokmanya Nagar in Sadashiv Peth have come out in stiff opposition to the state government’s decision to stay the ongoing redevelopment of their dilapidated housing colony. The project which had finally begun after years of delay, was put on hold after local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Hemant Rasane requested chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to bring it under an integrated cluster redevelopment plan.

Lokmanya Nagar, one of the city’s oldest and most congested residential pockets, needed redevelopment for the longest time due to the unsafe condition of its buildings. Out of 532 flats covered under the redevelopment project, 103 have already been vacated and work on new homes has already begun. (HT PHOTO)

Activist Suhas Satpute, who heads the Lokmanya Nagar Bachav Kruti Samiti, expressed deep frustration. “We waited for years and finally, redevelopment started showing progress. Families vacated their homes and are now living in rented accommodations with the hope of returning soon. But the government has suddenly decided to halt the project without considering the plight of residents. This is injustice. If the work does not resume quickly, people here will face unbearable hardships,” Satpute said.

Another resident, Subhash Pedambkar, pointed to the danger of delay. “The government had already granted approvals and redevelopment was underway. To stop it midway is unfair to hundreds of families. The old buildings are unsafe, and every monsoon raises fear among the residents. Redevelopment is not just a demand, it is a necessity for survival,” Pedambkar said.

Lokmanya Nagar, one of the city’s oldest and most congested residential pockets, needed redevelopment for the longest time due to the unsafe condition of its buildings. Out of 532 flats covered under the redevelopment project, 103 have already been vacated and work on new homes has already begun. Many families are now living in transit accommodation or on rent and fear that the suspension will push them back into prolonged uncertainty.

When contacted, Rasane defended his stance saying that it is aimed at ensuring long-term benefits for the residents. “The redevelopment of Lokmanya Nagar is linked to 14 different housing societies, and it is important that this project is carried out under an integrated cluster redevelopment plan. The government provides special incentives for such cluster-based redevelopment, which ensures better infrastructure, planned layouts, and long-term benefits for residents as well as the city. My request to the chief minister was not to stop redevelopment permanently, but to ensure that it happens in a way that maximises benefits for everyone,” Rasane said.

Notwithstanding, residents are of the view that their immediate needs cannot be overlooked. According to them, cluster redevelopment may have its advantages in the long run but putting the ongoing redevelopment on hold has already disrupted their lives and deepened uncertainty for families that have been displaced. So much so letters have been sent to the chief minister and municipal authorities requesting that the stay be lifted.