Mumbai: Congress city chief and MP Varsha Gaikwad requested the union minister of defence Rajnath Singh to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the redevelopment of slums in Bandra East.She said a survey of slums pockets at Dawari Nagar, Hanuman Tekdi, Maratha Colony and Hussain Tekdi area, showed around 9,500 slum dwellings. She said redevelopment of these areas remained stuck for long because the land fell under the jurisdiction of the defence, which needed to issue an NOC for redevelopment under the SRA scheme.Gaiwad urged the minister’s intervention to expedite the process of issuing the necessary NOC. The MP said thousands of families continued to live in extremely difficult conditions, facing a lack of basic amenities and unsafe housing. Bandra East had several slum pockets, with many adjoining the railway station, and that the area was part of Gaikwad’s parliamentary constituency.Meanwhile, Congress decided to organise protests across Mumbai against the BJP-led govt over a shortage of LPG gas that forced many hotels and eateries to shut down. Mumbai Congress spokesperson Sureshchandra Rajhans said, “A major shortage of gas cylinders is now being felt in Mumbai. While the govt claims that there is no shortage, this claim is not true. We will protest against the govt inaction to address the issue.”
