Vacate old buildings in Dongri, urge ministers

Mumbai city guardian minister Jayant Patil and minister of state for housing Sachin Ahir were shocked to see the way people live in old, dilapidated buildings at Dongri during a pre-monsoon survey on Thursday.

Shaky structures supported by bamboos, cement slabs threatening to give away and broken staircases.

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Mumbai city guardian minister Jayant Patil and minister of state for housing Sachin Ahir were shocked to see the way people live in old, dilapidated buildings at Dongri during a pre-monsoon survey on Thursday.

"We tried to convince the residents that the buildings are not safe. They should let the redevelopment take place before monsoon. After the redevelopment, we will immediately shift them from the transit camps to their new houses," promised Patil.

He instructed the civic officers concerned to repair or redevelop the buildings, and requested the residents to cooperate and shift to transit camps until the redevelopment.

The recent pre-monsoon survey conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, declared 19 old, dilapidated buildings as "very dangerous" in the city and 16,302 buildings as "dangerous".

While 268 residents have moved out of the 19 "dangerous" buildings, 360 residents have refused to vacate.

Acknowledging that people are wary of transit camps and refuse to move out, Ahir promised better facilities to the residents of dilapidated buildings in Dongri.

"We have possession of vacant mill land and will construct around 350 transit camps, which will be better than those in Dharavi and other areas."

He added that after redevelopment, slumdwellers will get 269sq ft homes and those who moved out of old, dilapidated buildings will get 300sq ft flats.

Both ministers stressed that the residents will not be forcibly evacuated. "We will continue to conduct routine checks of old buildings, and carry out repairs, where necessary," Ahir said.