MUMBAI, May 13 -- The 690 families facing eviction at the Century Mills compound in Lower Parel, may now be eligible for rehabilitation under the BMC's cluster redevelopment plan as per Development Control Regulation (DCR) 33(9). This follows recent legal developments, including a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the civic body's ownership of the 25,000-square-metre (6.17-acre) plot. The 690 families, represented by the Century Mills Kamgar Rahiwasi Sangh (CMKRS), met civic chief and administrator Bhushan Gagrani at a monitoring committee meeting on April 24. During the session, Gagrani reportedly indicated that if the project qualified for Development Control Regulation (DCR) 33(9), the occupants would be eligible for rehabilitation on the same land. The BMC first issued eviction notices to the residents in February 2025, following the SC's January 7 verdict that rejected Century Mills Ltd's claim to ownership. A second notice was served on April 2, intensifying concerns among the residents. HT had reported about the eviction notice on April 8. On April 16, CMKRS submitted a formal appeal to the BMC, requesting recognition of their tenancy and protection under government housing policies. The association emphasised that the land was leased to Century Mills Ltd in 1927 under a government scheme to house mill workers, and that around 690 families still lived in these homes. The residents cited Regulation 35 of the DCPR-2034, which entitles mill land occupants to free, permanent alternative accommodation. They also referred to a 2008 government notification protecting them from eviction by mill owners. CMKRS's president Sunil Kamble, in a letter to Gagrani on April 16, stated that while Century Mills had earlier received BMC approval to construct a rehab building, the company later filed a writ petition in 2017 seeking ownership of the plot. Although the Bombay high court initially ruled in the mill's favour in 2022, the BMC challenged the verdict in the SC, which ultimately sided with the civic body in 2025. The disputed land, now valued at around Rs.660 crore, was originally leased on April 1, 1927, for 28 years, with the condition that housing for mill workers would be constructed. The lease expired in 1955, and the land was to revert to the BMC. Following the SC decision, the BMC requested legal guidance on the land's permissible use and whether it or the mill company should handle the rehabilitation. At the April 24 monitoring committee meeting held at the BMC headquarters, representatives, legal advisors, and residents discussed the legal progress and reaffirmed their commitment to a transparent process. Legal advisor Abhay Parab and secretary Narendra Sharma joined Kamble in presenting the case. The committee highlighted its recent legal submissions, which were recognised by the court as clear and valid. "The municipal commissioner assured us that if the project qualifies under DCR 33(9), steps will be taken in accordance with the policy," said a tenant present at the meeting. Gagrani when contacted remained unavailable for comment....