Elite force has a housing problem

They are ready to handle international terror threats in the financial capital, but India’s elite commandos must first overcome an older Mumbai problem: finding a home. Presley Thomas reports.

They are ready to handle international terror threats in the financial capital, but India’s elite commandos must first overcome an older Mumbai problem: finding a home.

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On November 15, 250 NSG commandos, or the National Security Guards, will have to move out of the police barracks in Kalina, where they were put up when they came to the city on June 30. But they have no alternative space to shift into.

The plan was for the Centre to build a hub on a 23-acre plot in Marol within four months —for which the Maharashtra government allotted the plot to them. Kalina and Marol are western suburbs in Mumbai.

The National Building Construction Corporation, which is supposed to build the hub has, however, not yet started work as private infrastructure development firm RPS Infraprojects Pvt Ltd currently occupies the plot.

When Hindustan Times visited the site, it found the plot had several structures like RPS’ offices, a testing laboratory and a cement mixing plant.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Chandra Iyengar said the government can’t do much. “If NSG accepted the land like that, I cannot comment.”