After slow progress of the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road work, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to start work on the available stretch near New Tilak Nagar, Chembur. The issue of relocation in Chembur has been the major hurdle for implementing agencies as the tenants of 13 MHADA buildings were opposed to vacating the premises.

Earlier this month, the High Court had directed the tenants to vacate their houses within 15 days of signing a memorandum of understanding. Despite this, none of the 164 tenants came forward to sign the MoU with the MMRDA.

“So far none of the remaining tenants have come forward to sign the MoUs despite the court’s order. We will wait for some time and will then start sending notices to them, and even have to forcibly vacate the premises as per the consent of all the parties before the High Court,” said a senior MMRDA official requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, MMRDA has decided to go ahead with the piling work where three buildings are empty. Earlier the MMRDA had decided to start the piling work after all the buildings are vacated and demolished. “We are starting the piling work on the available stretch where three buildings are vacated by the tenants,” said SVR Srinivas, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

These buildings are in the carriageway of the proposed SCLR which is extremely delayed component of the World Bank-funded, Mumbai Urban Transport Project. The tenants will now have to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and vacate the premises within 15 days.

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