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Golibar Redevelopment Project

58K views 56 replies 19 participants last post by  jas29 
#1 ·
This looks like a mammoth project underway unlike the much delayed Dharavi.
It's a redevelopment of a 140-acre slum south west of CSIA. The project cost is pegged at Rs 3500 crores
60,000 families are being relocated. They've already cleaned out part of the slums as is evident from the pics below. Shivalik seems to be doing a smooth job so far and the residents too seem happy, or thats what the website claims.


The Santacruz - Golibar project is the largest SRA project to be undertaken so far. It is located between the Western Expressway and Western Railway in Santacruz East.




Slum Rehabilitation/Construction Updates : Source
 
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#30 ·
Medha patkar has not received her share of the "Development Cess" from Shivalik Ventures.Hence she is crying.
 
#31 ·
Shivalik seeks funds for slum projects
Shivalik Ventures Pvt. Ltd—promoted by Unitech Ltd, developer Ramakant Jadhav and Rohan Lifescapes Pvt. Ltd—is scouting for investors to fund slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai.

Top executives said they are speaking with other slum developers to invest in their projects, as well as with other investors, but didn’t name them.

The joint venture, which is focused on rebuilding slums, is redeveloping one of Mumbai’s biggest shanty towns, a 127-acre slum pocket at Golibar Maidan, Santacruz, with 26,000 hutments and about 125,000 people.

The project, which will have both commercial and residential components, is being designed by New York-based architecture and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP.

Bankrupt US investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. has picked a 50% stake in an office building in the Golibar Maidan project for Rs.750 crore.

“We are looking for funding of about Rs.1,000 crore for the project,” said Harresh Mehta, managing director, Rohan Lifescapes Ltd. “Construction is on but not at a pace at which we would want it to.”

The project is delayed, embroiled in issues related to rehabilitation of the residents and land acquisition.

A spokeswoman for Unitech said in an email the company would not comment on Shivalik Ventures or its projects.

Slum redevelopment is considered by property analysts as specialized, complicated and capital intensive as it involves rehabilitating scores of slum dwellers who have to be convinced of the developers’ intentions.

Yet, developers eye this space primarily to get access to good land parcels and because profit margins in these projects are substantially higher than in regular residential or commercial work.

Ramakant Jadhav, chief executive of Shivalik Ventures, said the company is looking to raise money for all its upcoming projects as well, largely to kick off construction and rehabilitate slum dwellers.

Foremost among these is a project in Mumbai’s posh suburban Juhu Galli area, where a 20-acre slum pocket will be turned into a residential-cum-commercial township. Nearly 4,000 families need to be relocated for this project. The project is being spearheaded by Jadhav’s Darshan Developers Pvt. Ltd, of which Shivalik Ventures is a 100% subsidiary.

“We have built transit camps but the requirement for rehabilitation alone in this project is Rs.500 crore,” he said. “We are talking to slum developers who would come in and invest in the project and partner us.”

There are more such projects in suburbs such as Jogeshwari, Ghatkopar and Powai that need funding.

Finding investors may be tough, said Pankaj Kapoor, chief executive, Liases Foras, a property research agency.

Property prices have shot up in markets such as Mumbai, affecting sales and leading to rising inventory levels. Besides, “funding is a big issue in the real estate sector now and liquidity problems would also impact project execution and development”, he said.

Shivalik Ventures is Unitech’s sole development vehicle in Mumbai, after its venture in the metropolis with Omkar Realtors fell through in 2010.
Source : Link
 
#32 ·
It's funny - Medha Patkar rushed from Golibar to Jharkhand to protest the massive slum demolition drive there.
Progress has started as soon as she bolted. Perhaps they ought to keep track of her travel itinerary - and start demolitions soon as she leaves!!
Hopefully - the constant shuttling between these projects should give her a nervous breakdown!!! :D

Twelve held as SRA’s Golibar demolition drive turns ugly
A dozen people, including some women, were detained on Thursday by police who resorted to a lathicharge during a demolition drive at Golibar Colony, Santacruz, to make way for an SRA project.

Shivalik Ventures and Unitech Group have undertaken the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project at Ganesh Krupa Society, one of 45 slum colonies in the 140-acre area.

Aba Tandel, a slum dweller and activist of Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, said that the police earlier served notice to five activists in the area, warning them against creating problems.

“They came with a huge police force and bulldozers. While five houses were completely demolished, another 10 were partly razed,” said Tandel.

Tandel said that their advocate was present and even argued their case, but police and SRA officials said they were following court orders. “But the order was for eviction, not demolition,” argued Tandel.

The protesting slum dwellers were detained for preventing the police from doing their job.
Source : Link
 
#33 ·
So the Crazy Lady from Naramada has allowed another decade or two of Pan-Africa to thrive in Mumbai!! I fear this will only embolden her to take up the cause of anti-slum rehab across the country!! What's stopping her from sticking her nose into Dharavi's new found rehabilition effort now?

Government halts demolitions in Golibar
Mumbai: Medha Patkar, leader of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), ended her nine-day fast at Mumbai's Golibar colony on Saturday after the government handed her two resolutions incorporating the demands of the agitators.

“It is a victory for the lakhs of people fighting for their right to live in the financial capital of India with dignity,” Ms. Patkar said.

“The real fight is about the right over land of the poor who make this city what it is. Today the land is being given or grabbed by the builders and influential people like Mukesh Ambani who has built his 27-storey building on the land of the Wakf Board. [About] 33,000 acres of land, which was either encroached or is free, is now available after the Land Ceiling Act was revoked.”

This gives a breather to the residents of Ganesh Kripa society, in Golibar, as the State has agreed to halt demolitions till a Committee concludes its probe into the alleged irregularities by the developer, Shivalik Ventures. It is also a milestone in the protracted battle the slum dwellers have been waging against the builder.

Residents themselves have, over the year, led black flag marches and hunger strikes, which included children, to protests against “fraudulent” consents and “filthy” makeshift shelters.

The latest development showed “our agitation is going in the right direction,” Devasadhan Nair, a resident of Golibar told The Hindu over telephone.

However, it was not enough. “The halt to demolitions brings us temporary relief. However, it does not end there,” he said.

There is the issue of probing the matter and revoking the 3K clause of the Slum Rehabilitation Act. We also want Shivalik to be de-recognised for its links with the 2G scam.”

Unitech, whose managing director is indicted in the 2G scam, has a stake in Shivalik.

Mr. Nair said although the builder claimed to have demolished 72 homes, the people had not vacated the place and continued to live there.

“Our immediate challenge is the threat of diseases with the onset of rains.”

Ms. Patkar spoke about launching another satyagraha for land rights on October 2 in Mumbai “to capture government land for the poor people” of the city.

“Our Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has a bigger battle ahead and against a powerful lobby. If he intends to fight it, we are with him. Or else, we are on the path of struggle and justice and dignity for the poor,” she said.

NAPM, in a press statement, said that the government had agreed to five of the major demands of the andolan.
Source : Link
 
#36 ·
State to go ahead with Golibar plan

MUMBAI: The state government on Friday informed the Bombay high Court that it would go ahead with the Golibar slum rehabilitation scheme. A report of the high powered committee on 15 slum rehabilitation scheme in the city will be out by September 30, 2011.

Assistant government pleader G W Mattos informed the court that a government resolution containing both the decisions was issued on June 22, 2011.

Initially, the state on May 28, 2011 had issued two government resolutions to form two committees comprising members of the civil society. One of the committees was to look into the allegations of irregularities in the Ganeshkrupa cooperative housing society scheme at Golibar slums in Khar. The other committee was to submit a report into complaints of irregularities in 15 other slum rehabilitation schemes.

This was challenged in the high court as violating the court orders, which had given the go ahead to the 5rehabilitation scheme and the demolition of slums. The state government told the court that it would disband the committee comprising civil society members and would instead place the matters before the special high powered committee set up to look into slum rehab cases.

The high court has adjourned further hearing in the case to July 4.
Source: Link
 
#38 ·
Just sped through perusing the report about Medha Patkar and what caught my eye was her stance about "DIGNITY" and rights of the people living in the slums.

Is this woman demented? What kind of right and dignity is she talking of, when in the first place, half of slum-land in Mumbai itself is a result of blatant 'grabs'?
 
#39 ·
What I don't get is, why some of us are so shrill when criticizing Medha Patkar and co. when all they are doing is exploiting our lax laws to bring progress to a grinding halt. The way I see it they are no different from the unscrupulous industrialist who uses the loopholes in the system to flout laws, pollute the environment and exploit people. The crux of the problem lies with our ineffective laws and judiciary. Let's face it, as long as our system is as flawed as it is today there will be people looking to exploit it for their own benefit.
 
#40 ·
Medha Patkar protests transfer of inquiry of Mumbai’s Ganesh Krupa Society

Mumbai, Jun 28: Social activist Medha Patkar along with thousands of slum dwellers participated in a rally in Maharashtra on Tuesday to protest against the transfer of the inquiry of Ganesh Krupa Society and 15 other societies

Inhabitants of Ganesh Krupa society in Golibar, Khar East region in Mumbai, have been fighting to save their homes from builders and the corrupt government officials who want to illegally take over their land for redevelopment under SRA (Slum Redevelopment Auhtority) scheme.

While talking to mediapersons, Patkar said that we have organised a 'Struggle Rally' from Golibar to Mantralaya (Administrative Headquarters of Maharashtra State Government, Mumbai) to express our displeasure over the betrayal by the government as it will adversely affect hundreds and thousands of slum dwellers.

Patkar was on a nine day fast to protest against the government's decision to hand over 140 acres of land to Shivalik Ventures - a private builder.

"Since the past several years we have been arguing for 'Right to shelter' for the hundreds and thousands of poor people in Mumbai (capital of India's western Maharashtra state) and that has reached its peak. For that cause we went on fast (nine days). It was not only me but it included 1200 people as well," said Patkar.

She has been demanding the removal of Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971, clause-3K, which allowed the government to take over land without seeking the consent of slum dwellers and to investigate all projects sanctioned under this scheme.

The provincial government had formed two committees comprising government officials and citizen representatives to probe the alleged irregularities in the slum rehabilitation project at Golibar and 15 other cases of corruption and misappropriation in rehabilitation schemes, following Patkar's 9-day fast.

"Two committees were formed under the chairmanship of Justice Suresh and these were only fact-finding committees which were (aimed) to investigate the voluminous reports which are proving to be fraud in the case of every single SRA (Slum Redevelopment Auhtority) where the builders have played a game without taking the consent of the people and the cooperative societies. They are going ahead, pushing atrocities by involving police for acquiring land," she said.

Earlier, she had demanded that till the government does not take strong action against Shivalik Ventures, also linked with the 2G spectrum allocation scam and permanently stops the demolition at Golibar, her hunger strike which has entered the sixth consecutive day on Thursday (May 26) would continue.

Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) officials and hundreds of police officers on January 20, 2011, came to demolish the houses of Ganesh Krupa society, citing a court order.

The MHADA and the police officials ignored the directive of the court, in which it had directed the builder to provide habitable transit camps, registered agreements, and rehabilitation within 500 metre of their present homes. But none of these conditions have been met till now.

The Bombay high court stayed the committees after a group of former society residents and builders filed a petition. The government withdrew the committees and directed the inquiries to be submitted to the high power panel headed by housing secretary Gautam Chatterjee.
Source : Link
 
#44 ·
Shows just how much of a pain in the ass is Medha Patkar. After Narmada, lavasa, Golibar, she headed out to Kodankulam to protest against The Nuclear Plant. I guess Mumbai govt is taking advantage of her absence to get the job done!!!


Nine months later, govt resumes demolition of Golibar slums

Almost nine months after the government halted the demolition activities at Mumbai’s Golibar slums following protests by social activist Medha Patkar, the collector’s office restarted the drive and demolished 14 houses on Wednesday. The authorities demolished 13 of the 42 houses to which it had served notice, said officials.

According to Avinash Dhakane, controller of encroachments (housing), “We demolished 13 houses and plan to carry out the demolition of the rest in the next few days. The notices for the same were issued to the residents last week”.

Last year in May, the collector’s office had halted demolition citing lack of police protection, although residents had claimed that the move came after Patkar went on an indefinite hunger strike in protest against the demolitions.

A section of the residents has been protesting against the demolitions in Golibar slum area where 140 acres have been handed to a private builder. But another section of residents has been supportive of the redevelopment move.
Source : Link
 
#45 ·
At Golibar, 600 families fear eviction

With the expiry of the five-year lease of three buildings at Golibar transit camp, activists are preparing to launch a protest if the nearly 600 families are asked to vacate the premises.

Syed Mushtaq Ahmed, 45, a tailor, said, “We have heard that Mhada will serve us the notice any day now. I don’t know where my family will go if we are asked to leave. As it is our homes were taken away. Now we will lose our homes again.”

Five years ago, residents of Ganesh Krupa Society in Santa Cruz’s Golibar slums were moved to this temporary transit camp by the builder Shivalik Ventures during the redevelopment drive in the area on the promise of new homes.

Syed Zubair, who owned a garment shop, complained that in addition to the problem of the expiry of the lease, transit camp residents are also being cheated of their rent allowance, which serves as compensation by the builder.

“Some of us have not received rent for five or six months. I’m supposed to get a minimum of Rs9,000 for my commercial establishment but they gave me Rs7,000 only because I’m heading the revolt here.”

The transit camp, which consists of 10x15ft 26 to 28 rooms on seven floors, poses several problems for its inhabitants, including poor sanitation facilities, unsafe structure, leakage problems, corroded ceilings, worm-infested water and non-functional lifts.

To make matters worse, the building meant to rehabilitate the displaced families is disputed property, with the ministry of defence claiming rights on the land and having filed a case in high court in this regard.

“After filing several RTIs, we found out that the builder forged signatures to get approval for this SRA project. We know our rights and we will not stop protesting,” said activist Prerna Gaikwad and added, “The CAG report clearly states that the project is fraudulent, so the lease will automatically be invalid. The whole project should be scrapped.”

CEO of Shivalik Ventures, Ramakant Jadhav said, “We have submitted the application for an extension.”

When DNA asked him when the submission was done, Jadhav replied, “I am not a computer, I don’t remember. Lease will continue till the SRA project lasts.”

source
 
#46 ·
Golibar slum rehabilitation takes off
Many a glitch later, the controversial revamp of Golibar slums at Santa Cruz is finally taking shape, with the Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA) officials handing over house keys to nearly 228 families at a low-key function on Wednesday. The residents were also allocated the photo-passes on the occasion.

The Golibar slum rehab project is the second biggest of its kind. Spread over 28 acres, the Golibar area is one of the biggest slum pockets housing 7,000 slum dwellers, who must live amid the most congested conditions, with a single access road.

However, post-redevelopment residents are likely to get almost 6.73acres, which will include wide roads, a 3,200sqft playground, a primary and a secondary school, a library,a maternity hospital and two dispensaries. On Wednesday too, families headed by widows, blind or physically challenged were allotted houses on the ground or lower floors, as per SRA rules.

“Had the redevelopment of these 46 small units been undertaken by multiple developers, then it would have been a mammoth, and probably impossible, task to rehabilitate all the dwellers in the 6.73 acres or the 1,500 dwellers staying in Ambewadi, Shiv Sagar etc., on the land reserved for the open playground,” said Kiran Jadhav of Shivalik Ventures, the developer of the project.

The Golibar SRA project has seen many a hiccup following agitations led by social activist Medha Patkar, who alleged that the rehabilitation was being done on navy land. How can navy land be developed under the SRA project, she asked. However, Jadhav clarified thatthe government has advised SRA to obtain an NOC from the defence ministry and central excise department, whose plots flank the one allotted to SRA for rehabilitating the Golibar slums.

Stating that the SRA had not approved any redevelopment project on the land belonging to the Airports Authority of India in Santa Cruz (East), Jadhav said, “Our redevelopment projectis on a completely different plot.
Source : Link
 
#47 ·
But for Medha Patkar - this would've been a much faster endeavor! Still, some is better than none!


Six houses razed at Golibar SRA site
Six houses were pulled down in a demolition drive at Golibar in Khar (East) on Friday afternoon under heavy police security even as residents alleged that they were not served notices beforehand.

A total of seven houses were to be demolished and the remaining one will be pulled down on Saturday. Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) officials at the site refused to show the demolition order for the seven houses.

The police, on the other hand, had documents to prove that Mhada officials had approached them on December 24 requesting protection during the drive. “We have the necessary documents and are complying with authorities,” said a senior police officer from Nirmal Nagar police station.

“I have been living here for 20 years. No notice was given to me. Notices were served only for four structures and they were notices which were issued in November. The police didn’t allow us to retrieve our belongings and held us back,” said a woman and mother of two children.
Residents, who are fighting a case against the construction firm Shivalik Ventures in the high court, were expecting that authorities will follow the directives of the high court.

“The judge had asked for a compliance report about the transit camp that residents are supposed to move to post demolition. It has not been submitted yet. The camp is not fit to live in. Why should we leave our 40-year-old homes and move to a filthy place?” said a resident. Thirteen residents, who have been opposing the demolitions, were arrested last week and later released on bail.
Source : Link
 
#49 ·
Slum Demolitions In Mumbai Remain A Bone Of Contention

As demolitions continue in Mumbai’s Golibar, its residents continue to resist what they argue is “illegal eviction”

Golibar situated in Khar (East) is the second largest slum in Mumbai. The residents, over the last few years have learnt to live with the constant threat of being rendered homeless, overnight. Yesterday, once again without any prior notification, seven houses were completely razed while an eighth one was partially demolished. Residents, along with activist Medha Patkar, who tried to prevent the demolitions, were picked up by the police. In all, 21 people were picked up at 2:30 PM and released late at night. No case has been registered.

The nature of these demolitions, starting from 2005, is what is leading activists and residents to term it as “illegal”. Residents claim that the builders and the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA) present at the site of demolition failed to provide a demolition order. The Mumbai High Court had been approached by the residents in 2010 stating that they had not appointed Shivalik Ventures as their builders and that the 70% consent required to go ahead with the demolitions that the builders had provided was forged. Reacting to this case, the High Court had directed that no resettlement can take place until MHADA certifies that the transit camps are suitable for habitation. The High Court had instructed that a copy of these certificates should also be available for the affected residents. No such certificate has been delivered yet.

Until today, out of the 12,750 houses that have been demolished, only 1,250 affected people have been given rehabilitation. The transit camps are one-room flats with thin walls and no ventilation. The washrooms and toilets are shared. Obviously, not many are thrilled. Says Krishna Nayyar, a resident who has been involved with the resistance, “We were happy where we were. We do not want this kind of development where we have to trade our lives for transit camps that are barely livable. We are not against development; we want the right kind of development.”

Shivalik Ventures, a construction company, has ‘acquired’ 125 acres of land, affecting 26,500 people at Golibar. The residents were first served a notice in 2010 for evictions. The saga goes back to 2003 when as part of the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme, residents of Ganesh Krupa Society roped in Madhu Constructions to rehabilitate them. In 2008, Madhu Constructions transferred the right to Shivalik Ventures for redeveloping the society, without informing the affected community.

Talking to Tehelka, Satish Gavai, Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of MHADA said, “The demolition took place after due process. SRA has given the certificate stating that the transit camps are fit for habitation.” Refusing to comment on why only 1,250 people had been rehabilitated despite 26,500 houses having been demolished, he said, “That the SRA needs to answer.” The SRA was not available for comment.

source
 
#50 ·
Good riddance IMO.


Social activist Medha Patkar arrested in Golibar slum

MUMBAI: In a series of illegal actions against the urban poor in Mumbai, the city police came down heavily on MedhaPatkar and a group of people resisting the illegal evictions at Golibar, Khar (East).

Other active local residents including PrernaGaikwad, Ajit and 20 men and women have also been arrested today afternoon. Those protesting have been beaten up very badly by the police and goons on behalf of Shivalik Builders, in the presence of MHADA engineers and officials.


The latest information is that at least ten houses have been demolished at Golibar (Khar East). A posse of police vehicles and JCB machines are still at the place and the demolition drive is still on.

The bulldozers at Golibar, a 50 year old slum are once again out to demolish and evict the slum dwellers who have been fighting the corruption and land grab by a builder. In the past the slum dwellers have repeatedly opposed and exposed the illegal acts of the private developers who are all out to grab the land. It was only after the expose that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra scrapped the two 3K projects.
Source : Link
 
#51 ·
43 houses pulled down in Golibar slum

43 houses were pulled down at the Golibar slum here on Wednesday, under the supervision of the Collector’s office.

The activists of the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) have alleged that Shivalik Ventures, which develops the prime property of 125 acres called Golibar, carried out the demolition in connivance with government officials.

The Golibar project has been marred by a controversy for the past five years after it was alleged that Shivalik Ventures forged documents to secure the consent of the slum-dwellers for the demolition of the houses, built for rehabilitation on the Railways and the Defence Ministry land.

The Defence Ministry has approached the court, claiming its right to the land, and the Railways have taken an undertaking that the buildings will be demolished whenever it requires the land back.

On Tuesday, Mr. Maken wrote to the Chief Minister saying: “I, however, would request you to … ensure that wherever, as in these six Slum Rehabilitation Scheme … projects under inquiry, there are prima facie illegality, no irreversible damage or eviction of residents should be permitted to be done with police force — the aim solely being that of protecting the already marginalised urban poor.” Golibar is one of the six projects which have come under the inquiry.

However, government officials said they did not receive any instruction from the Chief Minister’s office. “If the letter has been sent to the Chief Minister, his office will send the necessary reply to the [Union] Ministry. However, we did not get any order from our higher-ups. We are working as per the court orders,” said P.R. Rokade, Deputy Collector (Encroachment Removal).

Sumit Wajale of the NAPM alleged that the officials were working for the builders and not the government.
Source : Link
 
#52 ·
No cheating by Golibar project developers: court

In a setback to residents affected by the Golibar redevelopment project, the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate Court has given a clean chit to the developers, Shivalik Ventures, who are accused of forgery and cheating.

The project to redevelop 46 chawls spread over 140 acres of land in Golibar area of Khar and Santacruz was the first to be brought under Section 3K(1) of the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, which gives the state government the right to directly award the project to a developer without acquiring the consent of 70 per cent of the residents, a must for other slum rehabilitation projects.
source

:banana::banana::banana:
 
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