Maharashtra govt plans to redevelop Juhu airport slums

The Maharashtra government is planning to redevelop slums near Juhu airport.

On Wednesday, Jitendra Awhad, Housing minister, told the media that they want to offer to the Aviation Minister that in return for providing them 50% of the airport land that is not required for aeronautical operations, they would provide the Airports Authority of India (AAI) the other 50% of the land free of slums.

The plan comes even as the state government in 2018 annulled the reservation for an affordable housing scheme and restored the reservation for the airport in the city’s Development Plan 2034.

On Wednesday, Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray conducted a review of slum rehabilitation schemes in the city. The problem of rehabilitating slums on 8,334 acres of central government land in the city was also considered.

In May 2016, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) had asked for approval to conduct a biometric survey on airport land. In two separate letters to the chief executive officer, SRA, the AAI agreed to do a feasibility study on the ex-situ rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers at Juhu airport.

The AAI has been opposed to in-situ rehabilitation as houses in the proximity of the airport service area affects safety and security. It has always been maintained that ex-situ rehabilitation is the only way to win these important operation matters pointing out that restraint-free land in and around the airport is an absolute requirement for safe and secure aircraft and helicopter operations which cannot be compromised.

Awhad said he would be meeting the aviation minister regarding the slum rehabilitation as the ministry had already awarded in-principle permission for the rehabilitation of slums on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport land.

The housing minister said that the Cuffe Parade slum will now be together redeveloped by MHADA and SRA. M/s Shapoorji and Pallonji, who were to conduct the redevelopment have been given a termination notice. The government will also shortly declare an amnesty scheme to restart 256 delayed schemes.

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