In a large-scale demolition drive this week, bulldozers tore through the narrow lanes of Garib Nagar in Bandra East, Mumbai, leaving hundreds of families homeless. Decades-old homes crumbled into heaps of concrete and twisted metal as authorities cleared land for railway expansion and infrastructure integration. Belongings were piled onto tarpaulins under the harsh summer sun, with families including newborns, the elderly, and children sitting on mats in sweltering heat without food, water, or shelter.
Lack of Adequate Notice and Resettlement
Locals reported that while some families had received prior notice to vacate, many claimed they were given insufficient time to relocate and that no alternative settlement had been arranged. Around 100 structures, whose owners were eligible for resettlement, were left untouched. Nafeeza, displaced along with her two children, expressed her frustration, stating that politicians only know how to give speeches and nothing else. A male relative echoed her sentiment, saying that when residents approached officials seeking compensation, they were turned away dismissively. He added that they were treated like garbage and threatened with slippers.
Threats and Police Presence
A woman with a newborn said that any attempt to protest was met with threats of arrest. Heavy police and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) vehicle presence was visible throughout the area during the demolition. The displaced families are now struggling to find basic necessities, with no immediate relief in sight.
