On Tuesday morning, the BMC along with the Mumbai police tried to demolish the slums at Sion-Koliwada, as part of the SRA project. The residents resisted the drive, coming out in full numbers, and the BMC managed to demolish only one hutment in the area. Activist Medha Patkar, who protested along with the slum dwellers, was detained by the police along with some other protesters.
The residents claimed the demolition was illegal since the BMC did not have a proper notice for the same. “The slum dwellers have only been served an eviction notice. The BMC has tried to demolish structures illegally, when they only had the right to vacate it,” said Ms Patkar.
The police resorted to lathi charge to bring the protesters under control. Sixteen-year-old student of St. Andrews College Frank Feranandes was also detained along with seven other residents, which included his father Nelson Fernandes. “This is illegal. I was only protesting and the police started the lathi charge,” he said, adding, “We were manhandled and pushed in to the van.”
An officer on location said, “We were doing our duty. The slum dwellers agitated and so we had to detain them including Ms Patkar.”
The area corporator Rajeshree Shirwadkar said, “The demolition is illegal since they only have an eviction notice and not a demolition notice. We are also trying to lodge an FIR in the Sion police station.”
The ward officer of the area Sanjay Kurhade said that it was a routine demolition and all necessary steps had been followed.