The Maharashtra Chief Secretary has reported that 28 new shelters have been established in Mumbai to provide housing for the homeless. The update was given in an affidavit submitted to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).
Further, plans for more shelters are underway, with land and properties being offered by organizations like the Mumbai Port Trust and MHADA. The goal is to provide accommodation for approximately 850 homeless individuals.
The Urban Development Department also submitted detailed reports to the SHRC. The department highlighted the government’s efforts to address the issue. The SHRC accepted the measures and concluded that appropriate corrective actions had been taken. It dismissed the case, stating that no further investigation was required.
The update follows the SHRC’s suo motu cognizance of a 2022 news report highlighting the inadequate state of shelter homes in Mumbai. Despite Supreme Court orders, only 23 out of 125 approved shelters were operational. The SHRC, chaired by Justices K. K. Tated and M. A. Sayeed, directed relevant authorities to address these deficiencies.
Earlier, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s Director of Planning, Prachi Jambhekar, filed an affidavit regarding the issue. However, the SHRC was critical of the civic body for submitting reports in a casual and repetitive manner.
The commission noted that Jambhekar’s report was almost identical to a previous one, calling it a serious lapse. It talked about the importance of submitting properly checked and verified reports. The SHRC said that such actions waste the Commission’s time and lead to the misuse of the legal process.
The Maharashtra Chief Secretary later filed a second affidavit detailing corrective measures. The report, supported by the Directorate of Municipal Administration and other stakeholders, revealed the creation of 28 new shelters. More shelters are planned on land and properties donated by MHADA, Mumbai Port Trust, and other organizations.
The Maharashtra government created the Rajyastariya Nivara Saniyantran Committee, led by retired IAS officer Ujjwal Uke, to monitor the process. This committee supervises surveys, monitors municipal councils, and ensures timely action. Stakeholders have been instructed to transfer unused land and assets to the municipal corporation to expedite the construction of shelters.
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