MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 18 Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s move to force Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh into legalising 18 lakh slums overnight has stunned him, prominent citizens and an administration deeply involved in the mechanics of transforming the city.

Though Deshmukh kept up a brave front today, he was clearly dejected. ‘‘It will be very difficult,’’ he told The Indian Express, when asked how his cash-strapped government would find the money to rehabilitate 18 lakh shanties built between 1995 and 2000, the new cut-off date fixed by Sonia Gandhi.

The state government’s demoralised bureaucrats, requesting anonymity, said at a time when the Centre was deciding long and hard on granting Rs 10,000 crore to fuel a Rs 36,600-crore makeover, an additional Rs 24,700 crore—the amount now needed for rehab of illegal slums—seemed out of the question.

Moreover, the 2,000 acres (the size of 28 Nariman Points) needed to house these slums simply aren’t available. ‘‘Such rehabilitation will have to be done outside Mumbai,’’ said Deshmukh, who was also firm that the slumdwellers will have to pay to be rehoused.

Worse, said administrators, Mumbai’s giant infrastructure projects—many blocked by slums—will be severely set back. Among them: the Mumbai Urban Transport project of new road and rail links and the airport expansion.

  THE NUMBER PROBLEM  

Rehabilitation needs of Mumbai slums built between 1995 and 2000: 8 LAKH total shanties 2,000 HECTARES land required Rs 24,700 CRORE cost of rehabilitation (land: Rs 700 crore; construction: Rs 20,000 crore; infrastructure cost: Rs 400 crore)

On the ground, officials demolished 266 huts, saying they had no official word. ‘‘We had been told to slow down the demolitions 15 days ago,’’ said Municipal Commissioner Johny Joseph. ‘‘However, no cut-off limit of 2000 has been indicated to us. We are continuing with demolitions.’’

The volte face, many said, will firmly plunge the makeover into crisis. Launched in December after getting firm political backing from the Congress’ coalition partner and ensuring close cooperation between various wings of government, the makeover was touted as Mumbai’s most significant hope.

Over 27 years, the city now repeatedly pushed back its deadline for legalising slums. And, former municipal commissioner S S Tinaikar said the latest move indicated ‘‘a total failure’’ of the government.

The first sign of trouble came on February 10 when NCP supremo Sharad Pawar expressed displeasure over demolitions without a rehabilitation plan.

An agitation launched by activist Medha Patkar last week after the demolition count hit 90,000 and forays to Delhi by Deshmukh’s colleagues got Sonia Gandhi into the act.

Mumbai Congress president Gurudas Kamat, senior leader Murli Deora and son Milind (South Mumbai MP) met Sonia urging a pullback. The final nail was hammered in by party general secretary Margaret Alva on Monday when she said the evictions went against the common minimum programme of the UPA.

The demolitions were always going to be sticky for Deshmukh given the political math in Mumbai: five of six Mumbai MPs are from the coalition; 19 of 34 MLAs. The swing factor for them was the city’s vast slums, where 60 per cent of people live.

Municipal officials also point to a legal pickle. A BMC source said Deshmukh will not be able to issue an official order moving the cut-off to 2000.

Deshmukh’s own previous government in 1997-98 had filed an affidavit before the Bombay High Court—in response to a suit alleging politicians would keep advancing the date to garner votes—that the date would remain at 1995. The government will first have to file an affidavit before the court.