Worli slum faces eviction to make way for coastal road project

The slum-dwellers, taken aback by the sudden notice issued to them, say they have been living there for more than 70 years and are eligible for rehabilitation, not eviction

MUMBAI: A Worli slum is facing imminent demolition to make way for an access road to a recreational open space, promenade and bus depot for Mumbai’s Coastal Road mega-project. The slum-dwellers, taken aback by the sudden notice issued to them, say they have been living there for more than 70 years and are eligible for rehabilitation, not eviction.

Mumbai, India – 18, Feb 2025: Residence of Markandeshwar Nagar slum at Worli, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, Feb 18, 2025. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

The public notice dated February 17, 2025, was served by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to 168 structures in the Markandeshwar Nagar slum on Dr Annie Besant Road in Worli. The slum, according to the notice, is obstructing the proposed 18.30-m-wide access road. The notice states that the slum-dwellers should prove their eligibility within seven days or face eviction.

The slum-dwellers point out that they have been earmarked for rehabilitation by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). The BMC has now reclassified them as Project Affected Persons (PAPs), plunging them into uncertainty.

On Tuesday, RTI activist Santosh Daundkar led a delegation of Markandeshwar Nagar CHS to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. They demanded that the proposed 18.30m access road on Dr Annie Besant Road in Worli be realigned, to spare their homes. They suggested that the road be moved to a nearby nallah instead, where a bridge was earlier proposed.

Devendra Swami, a resident of Markandeshwar Nagar Slum, said, “Our homes are barely 20m from the Worli nallah. There is an 18.30m road sanctioned by the BMC for a Coastal Road promenade and a bus depot, where people will alight from an electric bus. The BMC has cancelled our SRA project as it is BMC land. They didn’t even inform us and sanctioned a road here.”

A BMC noting (a document prepared by the BMC citing reasons for commencement of a project) dated November 2023, procured through a Right to Information (RTI) application by Daundkar, states, “MLA Dilip Lande has stated that, for the slum situated behind Poonam Chambers at Dr Annie Besant Road, known as ‘Shree Markendeshwar Nagar’, is deriving only one access of 6metres. This is not only insufficient but also unsafe, and in case of any untoward incidents such as fire or any disaster, it would be impossible to evacuate residents and may cause huge loss of life. In view of the same, MLA Lande had requested to provide access of sufficient width ie. minimum 18metres, and suggested the land at Markandeshwar Nagar slum.”

The BMC noting further mentioned the need for the road line, “It is observed that, presently proposed bus-bay and recreational open space and promenade of Coastal Road do not derive any access from Dr Annie Besant Road. Presently, the said section/site of Coastal Road is accessible from temporary road starting from Rajni Patel Chowk and passing along seaward side of Baroda Palace. This temporary access is being used for construction activity of coastal road and in future may be required to be developed as permanent public street/road to access promenade/bus-bay of Coastal Road. The alignment of the proposed road as shown on the plan and procedure for the prescription of the road line under MMC Act 1888 will be initiated separately as per the prescribed procedure.”

Swami said residents of the slum have drawn Gagrani’s attention to a 100-foot-wide nallah adjoining their slum, where the road can be realigned. He said the residents were worried about their fate, and feared that as PAPs, they would be shifted to Mankhurd. “We have been in existence for 70 years and our project was declared under SRA. An annexure II list was prepared but the BMC has now cancelled that,” he said.

Vinaya Kambikar, another affected resident, alleged that the BMC wants to evict them to aid a builder, who has an SRA project adjoining their slum but no access road. The access road proposed for the Coastal Road would benefit the builder, Kambikar pointed out.

Gagrani confirmed that the Markandeshwar Nagar CHS residents had met him on Monday but didn’t comment on the issue. Mrudula Ande, assistant commissioner, G South Ward, said, “That particular slum is marked as road line for access to Coastal Road promenade. We have served notices to produce documents to prove their legality.”