Residents in Mumbai’s Kurla have set a deadline of August 15 for the Maharashtra government to address the issue of allocating the Kurla dairy land for the Dharavi redevelopment scheme. A citizen movement called Lok Chalwal has been formed to protest against this decision and has warned authorities of consequences in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls if the land allocation is not rolled back.
The residents are concerned that developing the Mother Dairy land for the Dharavi project will lead to congestion in the area, reduce green space, and strain the existing infrastructure further. They have been advocating for the reservation of the land for a public park since December 2023 but feel that their demands have been ignored by the government.
Activist Kiran Pailwan of Lok Chalwal handed over a letter of protest to local MLA Mangesh Kudalkar, urging him to address the issue with the chief minister and other ministers before the deadline. The residents are prepared to take to the streets in large numbers if their demands are not met.
Kudalkar has expressed his support for building a botanical garden on the plot and has already discussed the issue with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. He is hopeful that the government will address the concerns of the residents and work towards securing a public park for the local community.
With the Maharashtra legislative assembly elections approaching, this issue is likely to become a significant factor in the local election campaign. The residents of Kurla are determined to fight for their rights and ensure that their voices are heard by the authorities. They are united in their cause and ready to mobilize for a peaceful protest if necessary.