Pavement dwellers hit by footpath makeover

The first phase of Mahatma Gandhi Pathkranti project includes 10 roads mainly in the island city along Worli,Sewri,Saat Rasta and the P D’Mello Road that has had footpath settlements for several decades now. The survey shows that in most areas,the 95 cut-off date would lead to displacement of a huge majority. For instance,41 per cent of these dwellers at Ambedkar Nagar at Wadala,51 per cent at Pandurang Budhkar Marg in Elphinstone Road and up to 72 per cent of people at Baradevi and Sangharsh Vasahat in Sewri would become ineligible for alternative shelters once they are forced to vacate their roadside homes for the project.

“The concept of a cut-off date for basic human rights is unconstitutional. Also,the documents such as ration card and voter’s card demanded to prove eligibility for rehabilitation under the scheme are ordinarily not available with those living on footpaths,” said Justice Hosbet Suresh,retired judge of the Bombay High Court. Miloon Kothari,former special rapporteur to the UN on adequate housing,said instead of arbitrarily deciding on the eligibility criteria,a more progressive method like that followed for the MUTP should be adopted.

“The process of rehabilitation should also identify and take into account the vulnerabilities of a certain groups such as women,senior citizens or scheduled tribes. The Delhi High Court recently has given a landmark judgment stating that eligibility should be decided based on meaningful surveys and not on random cut-off dates,” said Kothari.

A committee of experts comprising Kothari and Justice Suresh will soon release its report on the implications of the scheme following deposition by project-affected people.