Slumdwellers pour out on roads to save their homes

Thousands of slumdwellers protested against the notices issued to them by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).

Thousands of slumdwellers protested against the notices issued to them by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).

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The morcha, led by the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, started from Ghansoli railway station, via the Thane-Belapur road and ended at the MIDC office in Mahape.

Vijay Chougule, Sena chief in Navi Mumbai said, "MIDC and CIDCO have sent notices without surveying the area. Notices have been issued to even those who have been residing prior to 1995 and 2000."

He added that the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has the survey records of all the unauthorised and authorised structures in the city. "MIDC should look at the report… There needs to be coordination between the two organisations."

Suresh Haware, the Thane BJP president said: "Notices have been sent to those who have extended their structures after taking permission from the NMMC."

"All temples, mosques and gurudwaras should be regularized as they are ready to pay the charges required by the MIDC, CIDCO and NMMC," he added.

Both CIDCO and MIDC have clarified that the notices issued doesn't mean that the structures will be demolished.

Babu Kakad, controller of unauthorised construction, CIDCO said: "We have sent notices to 7,000 slums following the high court and state's order. Of these, we have regularised 3,000 houses and documents of 1,300 houses are being scrutinised. We will not demolish houses built before1995 and 2000."

Sudhakar Wagh, engineer of MIDC said: "We have sent notices to 32,000 houses which we believe are unauthorised and have been built illegally on the open spaces belonging to MIDC."