670 shops on SV, JP roads to be relocated at Andheri

Mumbai, May 10 (UNI) Around 670 shops, to be affected by the commissioning of the Metro rail and upcoming road-widening projects on SV and JP roads in Andheri, will be relocated and rehabilitated at the Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corpoaration (BMC) market in suburban Andheri, Congress MLA Baldev Khosa said here today.

Addressing members of the Andheri (W) Shopkeepers and Residents Welfare Association, Mr Khosa assured the shop owners that the 11,000 sq m BMC market located near the Andheri subway will be redeveloped with increased Floor Square Index (FSI) to accomodate the project affected persons (PAPs).

The MLA pointed out that all formalities regarding the relocation and rehabitation of the SV and JV road PAPs have been completed after deliberations with the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, BMC and the Mumbai Metro Rail Development Authority (MMRDA) chief T Chandrashekar.

He assured the shop owners (400 from SV road and 270 from JP road) that the proposed redevoloped BMC market will be completed in the next 18 to 20 months. ''I promise that the redevelopment work will be completed at the stipulated time to avoid delaying the Metro project,'' he said.

Replying to a query, whether ownership of shops will be tranferred to shop owners at the redeveloped BMC market, Mr Khosa said the issue will be taken up with concerend authorities after completion of the redevelopment of the market and rehabilitation of the PAPs.

When asked about the status of the existing shops at the BMC market during the redevelopment phase, he said some 300-odd shops will be relocated to the nearby BMC plot, which is also vacant.

Further, he said the PAPs from other parts of the city are also welcome, but the first priority will be given to SV and JP road shop owners.

''We should welcome progress and development and at times some amount of inconveniences are bound to happen when we vouch for progress,'' he said while making an appeal to the PAPs.

Earlier, the shop owners comprising retailers, jewellers, vegetable, fish and meat vendors were asked to relocate at alternate places like Oshiwara, Poonam Nagar and Mankhurd.

Ironically, many of these businesses located at SV and JV roads were being run by generations and it became difficult for the PAPs to relocate and rehabilitate at far away places, therby affecting their families and wards.

It was only after the intervention of the local MLA Baldev Khosa and subseqent deliberations with the Chief Minister, than BMC Commissioner Johny Joseph and MMRDA Chief T Chandrshekar that the PAPs are now being relocated at Andheri itself.

UNI