MUMBAI, Nov. 19 -- Around 1,000 project affected families, including 51-year-old Kiran Shelke, residing in Vidyavihar and Ghatkopar lost their shanties in the summer of 2017. Their homes were razed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). It was done as a total of 16,717 settlements alongside the Tansa water pipeline posed a security risk. Shelke and others were relocated around 11 kilometers away to the heavily polluted area of Mahul. The slums were demolished adhering to the Bombay high court's (HC) 2009 judgment to remove settlements within ten metres of either side of the water mains. After years of protests and many rounds of litigation by the displaced residents as well as social workers, including Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan activist Medha Patkar, they were successful in bailing themselves out of what they termed "gas chambers" that masqueraded as homes. High pollution levels resulted in multiple health issues for those residing at Mahul. In 2019, HC ordered the Maharashtra government and BMC to either pay rent of Rs.15,000 per month to each Mahul resident or provide alternate accommodation. But it was only in March 2022 that the state government's Urban Development Department (UDD) issued orders asking MMRDA to allot homes to the displaced in HDIL Complex, Kurla. The task to rehouse the residents was conveyed to BMC. This, Shankar Bhosale, assistant commissioner for M West Ward (Chembur), that is spearheading the relocation process, told HT, "is not their permanent residence and they are likely to be moved in another three years". Meanwhile, following the court's orders, the civic officials arranged for 1,600 homes at the ghost buildings of HDIL Complex. These buildings were constructed by a private developer, on Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) directions to rehouse those who would be displaced while renovating and expanding the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, which did not happen. The process of relocation started late last year, when the residents were asked to submit their documents, while the physical relocation started since January 2025. So far 700 people have packed up their lives yet again to relocate from a 225 sq ft unit to a 269 sq ft dwelling in the vertical slums at Kurla. "BMC has been allotting homes to us at HDIL Complex since January, but there are discrepancies in the process," alleged Shelke. "Unlike 2017, when a lottery draw was conducted to allocate homes, no such process is followed this time. This has led to the influential people with connections to cherry pick homes in the buildings and floors they want. There are people who have got members of their extended family, who otherwise resided scattered in Mahul, on the same floor in the new buildings. A random allocation process is on, instead of a fair methodology of a lottery draw," he added. Bhosale clarified: "Prior to commencing the process, it was agreed not to hold a lottery system and give away homes on a first come first serve basis. Therefore, those who submitted the documents first are being allotted as per the queue." However, this claim is contested by Shelke and another resident Sanjay Manjrekar. "I submitted the required documents long ago, yet I haven't been informed about the flat number," Manjrekar, a differently-abled man. Although Manjrekar was allotted a ground floor house at the MMRDA building at Mahul, the living conditions are poor, he said. It compelled him to urge authorities to move him to the first floor, a request that remains unfulfilled. "The compound outside my home is nothing short of a garbage dump, with people often breaking window panes. I would prefer moving to the first floor at HDIL Complex given my condition, but I haven't heard from the civic officials despite submitting all the required documents," he said, adding he is frequently asked to submit some or the other document to initiate the allotment process. Like Manjrekar, nonagenarian Yamunabai Shelke was allotted a home on the 8th floor, which is cumbersome for her. She has asked to be moved to a lower floor, but is yet to hear from the authorities. Amidst all the back-and-forth between the residents and civic officials, 21-year-old Anil Gaikwad got an allotment letter on Tuesday. So what will happen to the 1,600 families in three years? A civic official said such a plan of action has not been drawn yet. "As it is a government to government arrangement, I am sure the heads of both the organisations will arrive at a solution," he said....