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The Supreme Court has paved the way for the redevelopment of the Bharat Nagar slum in Bandra, Mumbai, dismissing an appeal by a few residents attempting to halt the project. The court ruled that the appellants were using “dilatory tactics” and were ineligible slum dwellers. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) had surveyed 2,965 slum structures in Bharat Nagar, of which 2,625 were deemed eligible for rehabilitation, with over 70% of residents consenting to the redevelopment. Saarathi Realtors played a key role in securing the Supreme Court order, which unlocks the project’s progress. From the outset, we were entrusted by Forum Homes to manage Bharat Ekta Cooperative Society’s redevelopment, ensuring a seamless process of slum evacuation and rehabilitation, said Rajiv Agrawal, Co-Founder of Saarathi Realtors. Bharat Nagar spans 44 acres with 7,200-7,700 tenements, comprising 3,700 MHADA tenants and 3,500-4,000 Photo Pass tenants. The redevelopment is divided among multiple developers, including Omkar, Budhpur Adani, Forum Homes, and HDIL. A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and KV Chandran upheld the Bombay High Court’s January 4, 2023, ruling that rejected challenges to the SRA’s eviction notice. The appellants had argued that the land fell under a MHADA layout and should be redeveloped under Regulation 33(5) of the Development Control Regulations (DCR) instead of slum redevelopment Regulation 33(10). However, the Apex Grievance Redressal Committee had dismissed their claims in 2019, stating that MHADA had never designated the plot as part of its layout. Ajit Pawar, Co-Founder of Saarathi Realtors, alleged that some slum dwellers attempted to disrupt the process and pressure developers. Saarathi Realtors assembled a legal team to counter these objections and present the case before the Supreme Court. The redevelopment project, sanctioned in 2010, involves merging three plots. While Phase I has been completed, Phase II was stalled due to resistance from some residents. With the Supreme Court’s green light, the project is set to move forward. |
