October 31, 2025

Mumbai witnessed a dramatic twist this Thursday as the BMC, teaming up with the collector's office, smashed down roughly 40 unauthorized slum structures in Lokhandwala. These settlements had illegally grabbed CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) land, blocking a crucial bridge project between Yari Road and SVP Nagar. This bridge is no ordinary road addition. Proposed way back in 2002, it spent over 20 years in limbo. But November 2023 sparked new hope when BMC floated a hefty Rs 42 crore tender for its construction. The plan? To finish the bridge in about 18 months, slashing travel time from Yari Road to SVP Nagar from a tiresome 35 minutes to just five! Local people are buzzing with excitement. Shashi Ranjan, chairman of Yari Road Residents' Association, called the demolition a "major win." He said, "The demolition was earlier planned a few days ago but couldn't proceed due to lack of police bandobast. We hope work will now move faster — and we'll continue to push the BMC for timely completion." Dhaval Shah from the Lokhandwala-Oshiwara Citizens' Association explained the bridge’s benefits: "It will help residents of Versova, Yari Road, Aaram Nagar, and Koliwada the most. Clearing encroachments is crucial — piling can't begin on the SVP side until precise measurements are taken for ordering the bridge girders." However, the demolition isn’t just about construction drama. Residents revealed that slum settlements have been steadily creeping over fragile mangrove lands along Oshiwara–Lokhandwala. Ashoke Pandit, trustee of the Oshiwara-Lokhandwala Citizens' Foundation (OLCF), warned, "Without regular enforcement, the coastal ecosystem could face irreversible damage. This demolition was required for the bridge work to gain pace." Interestingly, the BMC had already cleared about 48 mangroves last year to push this project forward. But the story has its dark shadows too. Shubham Kothari of the Jan Hakk Sangharsh Samiti slammed the demolition, saying it broke the Slum Areas Act, 1971. "Slum dwellers must be given an opportunity to prove their eligibility for rehabilitation, which was denied in this case. Yet again, the poor have sacrificed their homes so the rich can travel faster," he stated. Echoes of protest came from Pushpa Gupta, a Siddharth Nagar resident. She claimed police detained her for four hours just for questioning the demolition. "I was showing the deputy collector my documents and asking why our demands for an Annexure 2 survey and rehabilitation were ignored. I was held at Versova police station for four hours without any charges. Is asking questions now illegal?" she asked. This battle between development and displacement is far from over. While the bridge promises faster travel and a better Mumbai skyline, the voices of the displaced remind us that progress must be fair and just for all.

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Tags: Bmc, Lokhandwala, Slum Demolition, Crz Land, Bridge Project, Mumbai,