State to constitute team of 50 cops to oversee eviction of illegal slum dwellers in Mumbai

The proposal was given a green signal by Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis, during a review meeting at the Sahyadri guest house on Friday.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, during a review meeting at the Sahyadri guest house on Friday, agreed to a proposal to set up a team of 50 police personnel for the eviction of illegal slum dwellers in the city.

CM fadnavis also gave his approval to appoint the Maharashtra Housing And Area Development Authority (Mhada) as a special planning authority. (HT file photo)

The team will be headed by an assistant commissioner of police and the cost of setting it up will be borne by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority. It will be responsible for overseeing evictions and aiding redevelopment, said housing department officers.

The state also gave its approval to appoint the Maharashtra Housing And Area Development Authority (Mhada) as a special planning authority (SPA). “Appointing Mhada as SPA will speed up the process of acquiring permissions for housing projects implemented under Prime Minister Awas Yojana,” said an officer from the housing department.

The CM will be responsible for handing over the possession of around 1 lakh units to home seekers in the state by March 2019. By then, the approvals and permissions will be given to about 6 to 7 lakhs units under various housing projects, said the housing department. The government is also considering offering the tenements of about 300 sqft to the illegal slum dwellers living in slums built after 2011

The housing units, which will be offered at the construction cost, are expected to cost ₹9-10 lakh.