Mumbai civic body opposes state decision to redevelop beggars’ home land

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has expressed displeasure at the state government’s decision to de-reserve the land marked for beggars’ home at Chembur.

The civic body’s improvement committee has said that the plot should be used only for the purpose of setting up houses for project affected people (PAPs).

Apart from building government offices and quarters on the land, the state has also proposed to sell a part of it to private parties for development. The civic committee, which is yet to take a decision on the proposal, had visited the site last week.

In 1959, the state government had reserved the 1,13,924-lakh square metre plot for rehabilitation of beggars.

According to the proposal, the Beggars’ Home will get only 10,000 square metre of it. The rest of the area is divided as follows: government offices on 22,923.32 sq m; an auditorium on 5,471.10 sq m; an information technology institute on 1,373.68 sq m; hostel for girls, boys and ladies on 24482.53 sq m; government guest house on 5,033.62 sq m; residences (for private builders) 40,000 sq m.