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Mumbai: For years, hutments encroached upon the Wadala Bridge, which connects East and West Wadala over the railway tracks, leaving no space for the movement of pedestrians or motorists on the bridge. There was a risk of accidents due to the heavy traffic movement on the bridge. The bridge is now cleared of all hutments, providing much-needed relief to citizens.
According to BMC, 296 hutment dwellers occupied the footpaths of the Wadala Bridge since 2008. The civic body even provided eligible hutment dwellers with permanent accommodation at Mankhurd and Mahul. Subsequently, the hutments on the bridge were demolished. However, ineligible hutment dwellers re-erected their shanties. A series of demolition actions were carried out by BMC between 2016 and 2024, but to no avail. Various antisocial activities were also carried out in these shanties.
Activist and Matunga resident Nikhil Desai wrote an appreciation letter to the municipal commissioner stating that for years, this bridge’s footpaths were encroached by illegal slum dwellers, leaving no space to walk on footpaths. The letter stated that on Jan 6, the BMC F-North ward and police carried out massive action for the removal of the encroachment and they removed all the huts from the footpaths. “We, the people of BMC F-North ward, want to thank the ward and Matunga Police Station for removing the illegal encroachment,” the letter stated.
“These hutments existed for almost 40 years, and it was difficult for people to walk. School kids and pedestrians used to walk on the road instead of the footpath. Some eight years ago, the BMC made an inventory of the hutments and people on the bridge, and some 50-odd dwellers were found eligible for permanent accommodation and were shifted. Subsequently, the BMC carried out a massive action, and all the hutments were removed from the bridge. Some of the hutment dwellers came back to occupy the bridge again. The hutment dwellers were even provided with electricity. The BMC has put up pots of plants to ensure that the footpaths are not re-occupied,” Desai said. BMC F-North Ward officer Prithviraj Chauhan said that it was due to the initiative taken by deputy commissioner of police (Zone-IV) R Rasgudh and the Matunga police that the BMC could carry out a joint action.
According to BMC, 296 hutment dwellers occupied the footpaths of the Wadala Bridge since 2008. The civic body even provided eligible hutment dwellers with permanent accommodation at Mankhurd and Mahul. Subsequently, the hutments on the bridge were demolished. However, ineligible hutment dwellers re-erected their shanties. A series of demolition actions were carried out by BMC between 2016 and 2024, but to no avail. Various antisocial activities were also carried out in these shanties.
Activist and Matunga resident Nikhil Desai wrote an appreciation letter to the municipal commissioner stating that for years, this bridge’s footpaths were encroached by illegal slum dwellers, leaving no space to walk on footpaths. The letter stated that on Jan 6, the BMC F-North ward and police carried out massive action for the removal of the encroachment and they removed all the huts from the footpaths. “We, the people of BMC F-North ward, want to thank the ward and Matunga Police Station for removing the illegal encroachment,” the letter stated.
“These hutments existed for almost 40 years, and it was difficult for people to walk. School kids and pedestrians used to walk on the road instead of the footpath. Some eight years ago, the BMC made an inventory of the hutments and people on the bridge, and some 50-odd dwellers were found eligible for permanent accommodation and were shifted. Subsequently, the BMC carried out a massive action, and all the hutments were removed from the bridge. Some of the hutment dwellers came back to occupy the bridge again. The hutment dwellers were even provided with electricity. The BMC has put up pots of plants to ensure that the footpaths are not re-occupied,” Desai said. BMC F-North Ward officer Prithviraj Chauhan said that it was due to the initiative taken by deputy commissioner of police (Zone-IV) R Rasgudh and the Matunga police that the BMC could carry out a joint action.
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