Article by posted on Jun 28, 2024 1,700 shanties in Bandra West demolished for urban renewal project aimed at slum rehabilitation. Demolition of Shanties: - Approximately 1,700 shanties in Bandra West were demolished for a slum rehabilitation project and high-rise towers. - The multi-storied slum area, Shastri Nagar, had bordered platform 1 of Bandra station for decades.Clearing of Land: - Bulldozers and cranes cleared a 6-acre tract of land over the past two days. - The plot will be used to build towers to rehabilitate 1,400 eligible slum families.Remaining Families:- The slum authority will decide the rehabilitation of the remaining 300 families. - Raja Rahebar Khan, former corporator, provided this information.Developer Involvement: - Developer Pioneer will construct a tower in the sale component. - An access road will be built, connecting the west end of Bandra station to Western Express Highway.Project History: - The rehabilitation project had been stalled since 2002. - Locals and Khan approached courts to renew agreements under a new slum scheme with better benefits.Transit Accommodation: - The developer has been paying monthly rents for transit accommodation to eligible families since they vacated their shanties.Legal and Administrative Actions: - Slumdwellers had received multiple demolition notices from BMC for road widening. - They signed an agreement with the builder in 2002, but government eligibility criteria changed over time. - After court interventions, including the Supreme Court, the builder agreed to execute fresh agreements per the new rules. AUTHOR