Thane’s project-affected residents plan indefinite hunger strike

Over 12,000 residents from areas like Ghodbunder, Panchpakhadi, Kalwa, Subhash Nagar and Ambedkar Road.

Project-affected people (PAP) from Thane numbering in the hundreds have are demanding that the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) give them a permanent home in the same location from where they are displaced.

Thane project affected residents want to be relocated back to their old area (HT Photo)

The residents have alleged that the corporation has displaced them to rental homes at present and there is no assurance of a permanent residence. They have asked that the TMC give them assurances of being rehabilitated in the same area and have threatened to stage an indefinite hunger strike till their demands are met.

The corporation undertook a massive road widening project which began in 2015. Over 12,000 residents from areas like Ghodbunder, Panchpakhadi, Kalwa, Subhash Nagar and Ambedkar Road who were affected by the work, have come together to form a co-ordination committee to fight for their rights.

Kishore Divekar, the chief co-ordinator of the committee who is one of the project-affected people, said, “Most of us were displaced without any prior notice or time. At Anandnagar, the homes which were not blocking the road-widening projects were also demolished. The residents near Ambedkar Road Lake were also removed for the beautification of the lake; however the corporation’s ward office along the same area was left untouched. We will put forth all these demands before the collector.”

The residents claimed that while they are not against development, they deserve permanent homes rather the rental apartments to which they were shifted, which they claim are devoid of basic facilities.

“We will provide permanent accommodation as per the availability of the housing stock. Till then, we have given the residents accommodation in rental homes as a temporary arrangement,” said an official from the town-planning department.