Civic body vows to clear last hurdle by April-end, paving way for road widening; officials now claim they will clear the final hurdle—a single structure obstructing the proposed drain—by the last week of April 2025
The road widening work that is being carried out at Manipada Road which leads to the house. Pics/Ashish Raje
After mid-day highlighted delays in the construction of the stormwater drain because of lack of planning at Kalina’s Manipada Road, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sprang into action. Officials now claim they will clear the final hurdle—a single structure obstructing the proposed drain—by the last week of April 2025.
mid-day’s March 27, report had exposed how the planning failure in rehabilitating a 50-year-old structure was stalling road and drain work at Manipada Road. Following this, the BMC’s H-East ward began working on a war footing.
The 50-year-old house in question
“The documents submitted by the family are under verification. Once eligibility is confirmed, we will suggest alternative accommodation. After the family moves out, the structure will be removed. We aim to complete this by the third or last week of April,” an official said. Assistant Municipal Commissioner Swapnaja Kshirsagar confirmed the update, stating, “We are working on it and are confident that the place will be vacated before April-end.”
Road widening plans
The BMC has undertaken a road widening project for Manipada Road, which is currently 9 to 15 feet wide and will be nearly doubled in size. The Fernandes family owns the house obstructing the proposed stormwater drain and road.
The BMC has already completed roadside drain construction up to the structure on one side and has begun road concreting on the other. Sources revealed that the owner submitted residence proof in mid-March, including documents from the 1980s. Verification has taken over a month as some documents require confirmation from other agencies, such as the electricity supply company. When mid-day visited the site for an update, the family was unavailable for comment.
Compensation policy
To verify ownership, the BMC requires old electoral records, electricity bills, ration card details, or a registered sale deed. If an affected structure owner declines alternative accommodation, the 2023 policy allows for monetary compensation instead to prevent further project delays. The BMC prioritises rehabilitating affected residents within the same ward or zone. If local alternatives are unavailable, nearby accommodation is provided.
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