(image: x.com/JaiBhimNagar) Jai Bhim Nagar residents along with students launched a petition to ensure water access for all
Mumbai, Maharashtra: As Mahayuti retains power with sweeping victory, the Adani’s $3-billion Dharavi slum redevelopment project will be moving forward with great vigour. The opposition, particularly Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) pledged to dismiss the project entirely if they came to power. It was just weeks ahead of the poll, Maharashtra had approved the acquisition of 256 acres of salt-pan land for building houses to the Dharavi slum project hit people.
Seclink Technologies which at first won the cancelled 2018 order, stated that new contract bidding process “unlawfully” favoured Adani. The opposition also alleged that the Adani group had received undue favours from the Maharashtra government in receiving the contract. Activists alleges that both projects will allow industrialist to develop a portion of the land to reap profit.
As Gautam Adani is to take control of Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi, what happened in Pawai’s Jai Bhim Nagar in an anti-encroachment drive and in the aftermath need to be looked upon. It presents the hard reality when a politically connected builder/developer obtains construction rights or redevelopments project to a low-income neighbourhood, the Article 14 observes.
On June 6 this year, a settlement that use to shelter around 700 families in Jai Bhim Nagar was demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The evictions highlights that civic and state authorities conspired with developers and builders to carry out lawless evictions. The residents in the Jai Bhim Nagar are mostly migrants from many states including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Predominantly Dalits, they have been living in Jai Bhim Nagar for decades and possess necessary legal documents. According to the Amnesty International February 2024 report, most of the victims from these destructions were minorities and marginalised sections of the society.
The ownership over the land in which Jai Bhim Nagar is located has always been a contested one. Originally belonged to Tara Swaroop, she gifted the land to her son Ajay Mohan, who in turn sold it to 10 different people. As per the reports, when Ajay Mohan came forth that the 10 people converted the land into non-agricultural use, their names were removed and then the land was sold again later.
With the aim of building an affordable housing under the Powai Area Development Scheme (PADS), the state government, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and six original land owners entered into a tripartite agreement. Following, the landowners gave the power of attorney to Hiranandani Group with rights to develop the land in connection with the agreement. However, the developer shifted from the original agreement by amalgamating smaller flats into luxury apartments and sold to affluent classes. Later, a case was registered against Hiranandani for fraud in the Supreme Court.
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Hirandani deployed a part of the land to set up a labour camp in 2022 for his firm’s construction workers which then came to be known as Jai Bhim Nagar. Known locally as a slum, Jai Bhim Nagar is situated in the northeastern suburb of Powai directly opposite the posh Hiranandani Gardens. In November 2023, Namit Keni, son of former BJP corporator Ranjana Keni filed a case with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) seeking the demolition of Jai Bhim Nagar because it was an illegal settlement. Though the BMC and the district collector conveyed that slum was not illegal but SHRC proceeded with the demolition. The demolition at JBN violates many court judgements and residents state that they were given only three days to vacate the place. The demolition drive turned violent and many people and police officials were injured. Currently, many are living in the pavements suffering unhygienic conditions.
On November 13, 2024, the Supreme Court declared demolitions without proper process is illegal and violating the constitutional right to shelter. However, demolition at Jai Bhim Nagar one among such similar actions taken place across nation, especially in states where the ruling BJP is in power.
