As the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Legislature began on Monday, a group of displaced residents from Sheva Koliwada transit camp in Uran staged a protest outside the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai, demanding long-delayed rehabilitation. The protestors, including around 40 women and 20 men, were swiftly moved by police to Azad Maidan minutes after arriving at the state legislature’s entrance.
The protestors carried placards highlighting their 40-year-long displacement and unfulfilled promises linked to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) project. Later in the day, leaders from across the political spectrum—including Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, and BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule—met the group and assured that their concerns would be raised in the Assembly.
Speaking to The Hindu, protestor Mangesh Anant Koli said, “We reached Vidhan Bhavan around 10:55 a.m., hoping a minister would notice our placards. But within five minutes, we were herded into police vans and relocated to Azad Maidan. The police told us the protest would disrupt the Assembly’s first day.”
The residents had travelled nearly 46 kilometres to draw attention to what they call a persistent failure by state agencies and JNPT to implement court-backed rehabilitation. They also carried two formal letters addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore, outlining discrepancies and negligence by administrative officials over the years.
Allegations against BDO and call for disciplinary action
One of the letters demanded disciplinary action against Sameer Watharkar, Block Development Officer (BDO) of Uran Panchayat Samiti, accusing him of sustaining a “bogus” Gram Panchayat—Hanuman Koliwada—within the transit camp. The group claims that despite a June 25, 2012 Bombay High Court order declaring that Hanuman Koliwada is not a revenue village, the BDO has attempted to legitimise it by altering official reports.
A district-level meeting held on August 13, 2024, chaired by the Raigad Collector, reportedly found no official records supporting the Panchayat’s existence and recommended its dissolution. Yet, the residents allege the BDO continues to support it, submitting contradictory reports. “We have strong evidence,” Mr. Koli said, citing inconsistencies between the BDO’s May 2, 2024 report and an earlier report dated April 29, 2024, by an assistant officer.
Ongoing civic distress and unfulfilled rehabilitation
The residents said that despite multiple High Court petitions, legislative resolutions, and official meetings, the promised rehabilitation remains elusive. Many homes in the transit camp suffer from termite infestations, lack basic amenities, and are situated near an active dumping ground, contributing to unsafe living conditions.
“We have raised these issues repeatedly. Still, there is no permanent housing, larger plots, or sanitary infrastructure,” said Nandkumar W. Pawar, president of the Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish Workers Union. Mr. Pawar, who met Minister Bawankule at Azad Maidan, added that BJP MP Narayan Rane had also received the group’s representation and promised to address their concerns.
The letters also allege that police had registered criminal cases against residents for participating in peaceful protests. “We were exercising our democratic right to assemble and express our grievances,” Mr. Koli said.
Lack of response despite official directives
The displaced families expressed frustration over inaction despite a June 2, 2025 government circular encouraging swift disciplinary processes via information technology. They noted that the Chief Minister’s office has sent multiple emails to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Principal Secretary (Rural Development), but no updates on action taken have been communicated to date.
On June 18, the residents filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking compensation, a court-monitored rehabilitation process, and permanent housing for 256 affected families.
Published – July 01, 2025 08:06 am IST