Close to a lakh slum dwellers to be rehabilitated following Centre's order

Mumbai: The Civil Aviation Ministry has asked Maharashtra government to remove slums near Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport. It says if the land occupied by slums is not reclaimed the airport faces a security threat.

The Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has written to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. Keeping in mind the recent attacks at Karachi airport, Gajapathi Raju noted that it was necessary that all threat perceptions are mitigated. He also urged CM to expedite the rehabilitation as soon as possible.

As many as 90,000 people live in 309 acres of slum land near the airport.

Senior officials at the Civil Aviation Ministry have told CNN-IBN that the plan is to build 15 storey buildings in about 150 acres of the land which will be freed after the removal of slums. Presently these people are living in homes measuring about 200 sq feet. The idea is to give them alternate option of flats built in about 500 sq feet area with better facilities to attract the slum dwellers. In fact, the Airport Authority of India would also be asked to provide land for rehabilitation if required.

These flats will be built away from the funnel zone which is the flight path of aircraft while taking off and landing and therefore will not pose a security threat said a senior official at the ministry. In 2006 the MIAL had entered into an agreement with the state government where the latter was to help in clearing the encroached land. Also, the state had entered into an agreement with Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority for removal and rehabilitation of the dwellers. But so far nothing has been done.

"We have received a letter. It is a sensitive issue and we will try to rehabilitate the slums," said Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

The letter accessed by CNN-IBN clearly states that Mumbai is a land scarce airport. And unless land is made available for development purpose, the airport will become saturated in the near future. Therefore, it is imperative not only for security purposes but also for future development that the encroached land be cleared. Even though the chief minister has agreed to look into the matter, the question is how long will it take for the state government to put these words into action.