Demolished, but not rehabilitated: 100 Garib Nagar families stare at a monsoon amid rubble

4 min readMumbaiJun 23, 2026 08:43 PM IST

Today, many of the remaining homes stand amid piles of rubble. Upper floors have been demolished, staircases end abruptly, roofs have been damaged and utility connections remain disconnected. (Image generated by AI)

A month after nearly 500 of the 600 homes in Bandra East’s Garib Nagar were demolished between May 19 and May 23 for the fifth and sixth railway lines and station augmentation works, around 100 families eligible for rehabilitation are still awaiting alternate accommodation. Administrative delays now threaten to leave them in partially damaged homes through the monsoon.

The delay comes despite Western Railway writing to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on June 9, stressing the urgency of providing alternate accommodation. Officials said the first request for rehabilitation housing for these families was made as far back as September 2025.

Today, many of the remaining homes stand amid piles of rubble. Upper floors have been demolished, staircases end abruptly, roofs have been damaged and utility connections remain disconnected.

“We’re living like insects,” said Khatum Aslam Shaikh, 60. “There is no electricity, leaving us to suffocate in this heat. We have to fetch water from far away. Our children cry all night because of mosquitoes and rats.”

While several families have temporarily moved in with relatives or rented accommodation nearby, others continue to stay in the settlement. During the day, many camp under the skywalk for relief from the heat. At night, they spread mattresses and mats on their rooftops, hoping to catch a stray breeze.

“Our lives are here,” said Farida Salim Ansari, 47, whose family has lived in Garib Nagar for decades. “My youngest daughter is 14 and studies in Class 10. Her school and tuition classes are nearby. Before the demolitions, we paid Rs 40,000 to enrol my granddaughter in Class 1. How can we uproot ourselves from here?”

With no firm timeline for rehabilitation, some residents have begun clearing debris and carrying out temporary repairs ahead of the rains.

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“I sent my family back to our village, but I stayed behind to keep watch over our home,” said resident Firoz Ahmed.

The families were identified as project-affected persons (PAPs) under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) and were found eligible for rehabilitation in a joint survey conducted by the railways and MMRDA in 2021. While their homes were spared from complete demolition, many have been left partially damaged and without water or electricity connections. Residents say there is little clarity on when they will be relocated.

“Rehabilitation homes have been earmarked for the PAPs in the HDIL buildings in Kurla, and repair work is nearly complete. However, the metropolitan commissioner’s approval is still awaited before allotments can be made,” an MMRDA official said.

According to MMRDA officials, the process has been delayed due to questions raised over an earlier rehabilitation proposal. While Western Railway initiated the process following the 2021 survey, it later asked for it to be put on hold, citing a shortage of funds.

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The process was revived only in September 2025, when Western Railway renewed its request for rehabilitation housing. Officials said MMRDA is responsible for allotting the homes, while Western Railway is paying approximately Rs 12.5 lakh for each 275 sq ft rehabilitation flat.

However, in April this year, the file was returned by the Metropolitan Commissioner, who sought an explanation from the railways on why the rehabilitation process had been halted after the initial request. While the railways subsequently submitted their response, final approval remains pending.

For the families still living in Garib Nagar, however, the immediate concern is the monsoon. Even if approvals come through in the coming days, officials acknowledge that rehabilitation is unlikely before late July, leaving residents to spend at least part of the rainy season in damaged homes while waiting for houses promised years ago.

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Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city.

Expertise

Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information.

Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department.

Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others.

Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture.

Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in.

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demolition

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Mumbai