Rethinking Slum Development

25 Dec 2024 CW Team

In July 2024, the Supreme Court directed the Bombay High Court to initiate suo motu proceedings to evaluate the implementation of the Maharashtra Slum Area (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act.
During the ensuing proceedings, the Division Bench of Justices expressed concern about the plight of slum dwellers, saying, “Merely because you are a slum dweller doesn’t mean that you are left to the discretion of developers. They end up with a pittance.” The Bench also noted that the buildings allocated to slum dwellers were akin to “vertical slums”. “The buildings are congested. There is no sunlight, no ventilation. This will cause health problems. There is no space between two buildings. They [slum dwellers] were better off on [the] ground encroaching. In our opinion, it will be a serious issue against Article 21 of the Constitution.”

These observations are especially pertinent in the light of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) seeing the tallest ever slum redevelopment projects being implemented under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), such as Piramal Mahalaxmi’s 42-storey tall rehab building adjacent to a 65-storey luxury development...

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