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Mahim Fort in Mumbai to be Restored as a Tourist Attraction After Slums Cleared

After 50 years of struggle, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Council (BMC) demolished the final 267 slums, paving the way for the fort's restoration as a tourist attraction.

Mahim Fort in Mumbai to be Restored as a Tourist Attraction After Slums Cleared
Mahim Fort in Mumbai to be Restored as a Tourist Attraction After Slums Cleared
SHARES

Mumbai's 800-year-old Mahim Fort, which was encroached upon since 1970, has been cleared of slums after years of struggle. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has demolished the final 267 slums, removing all illegal buildings that were obstructing the fort's restoration.

The BMC claims that roughly 3,000 residents have been rehabilitated in Malad and Kurla. On March 17, inhabitants who refused to leave the slums were forcibly removed with the assistance of the police, and lawsuits were filed against them.

BMC received properties in Malad and Kurla for flats provided by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The flats were allocated through a lottery system, and almost all the occupants moved into their new homes.

The fort was in danger of collapsing due to quick eroding towards the beach embankment. It was completely surrounded by encroachments. The situation worsened with the fort's dangerous portion facing the sea.

In 2021, Aaditya Thackeray, then the minister of tourism and the environment, launched a special project to restore the fort and evict the settlers. The civic organisation is now preparing to transform the fort into a tourist attraction.

The huts were examined as part of the "special project," and notices were sent to the occupants requesting specific documentation. A civic official commented on the difficulties in removing the encroachments and said it was a huge task to persuade 3,000 residents to leave. The process started in November 2021, and the removal of the slums started in October 2022 and ended on Monday, March 20.

The MMRDA relocated apartments from the Bhandari Metallurgical and Royal Finch buildings in Malvani to P (north) ward with the help of the SRA. The BMC created a list of eligible and ineligible people, and residents of 263 slums of the 267 buildings qualified for restoration. 

The civic body is planning to hire an architect as a historical consultant to rehabilitate the fort. Tenders will be floated, and a comprehensive project report will be created.

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