Some 400 residents of the village of Sheva Koliwada demanded justice of state and central governments, who had promised rehabilitation about 40 years after acquiring their lands for a municipal project | Photo credit: Emmanual Yogini
Around 400 residents of the village of Sheva Koliwada in Uran Taluka or the Rigad de Maharashtra district sat in protest outside the Tehsildar office on Monday (April 14, 2025), with a photo or Dr. Ir. Br Ambedkar and a copy of the Constitution placed on a nearby table. They were demanding justice of state and central governments, which had promised rehabilitation about 40 years after acquiring their lands for a municipal project, and caught attention to the fact that they have been living in a traffic camp since then.
As part of the protest hero from 11 am to 2 pm, the residents also wrote to Prime Minister Devendra Fadnavis instructing him to investigate their complaints. A police officer of the Uran Police Station said that after receiving a positive response from Tehsildar, the residents had retired the protest.
General view of Hanuman Koliwada, where the JNPT project affected people transferred in Urán, Raigad. | Photo credit: Emmanual Yogini
Tehsildar Uddhav Kadam said: “We have accepted your demand letter regarding your rehabilitation. We have also accepted its representation to the Maharashtra Development Corporation (MIDC) with respect to the shortage or a letter heim that aciomits the prolonged displacement of Steifmeging.
Residents also demanded responses for the delay in their rehabilitation and sought an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) about the reasons for the delay.
Following The Hindu Report “40 years in a transit camp” dated November 17, 2024 that had highlighted its difficult situation and their decision to boycott the elections of the Maharashtra Assembly, the officials of the Electoral Commission of India and the School of the District of Raigad had visited the town to the village to the village to the village visited.
Aerial view of Hanuman Koliwada, where the JNPT project affected people transferred in Urán, Raigad. | Photo credit: Emmanual Yogini
The problem has its origin in 1984, when the project of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) municipality was approaching. The people of what was the town of Sheva Gaon, now known as Navi Mumbai, moved to two transit fields, 12 km away, its current location. The fishing obtained the town of Boripakhadi, also called Hanuman or Sheva Koliwada; The farmers obtained the village of Bokadvira, also called Navin Sheva.
Also read: Will they continue to live in transit camps forever?
They were promised compensation for the loss of their land and their livelihoods. The residents of Sheva Koliwada claim that they have not compensated their legs, new houses were never built for them, and have no evidence that they possess the land in which they have lived for about 40 years.
Ramesh Bhaskar Koli, 65, a fisherman and general secretary of the Maharashtra small -scale fish union, said residents had boycuted the elections when they felt used “as voting banks.”
On December 19, 2024, Mr. Koli and the president of the Unión Nandakum Pawar, had a meeting with the joint secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, R. Lakshmanan, in Transport Bhawan in New Delhi, where JnPT General Manager and Secretary Manisha Jadhav and Subproche (rehabilitation) in Nueva Delhi were also present. Residents were given the verbal security that the construction of their new houses and the rehabilitation of 256 families in 10 hectares of land located in Jaskhargaon and Fundegaon in Uran Taluk would begin.
“The central authorities gave us the verbal security that the rehabilitation work will begin, including the construction of the houses, together with the civic comforts. They said it would take at least three years. According to the rehabilitation government of the Rigad collector’s office, including 7.14 hectares for sudden homes, and 10 hectares for civic amenities. Koli said.
On January 22, 2025, Union Cabinet Minter, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal Held A Meeting With The Residents and Jnpt Officials at a Hotel in Powai After They Ace As As As As As As As As As As As As As Asir Protest. They were assured that the funds would be sanctioned and the rehabilitation would begin in three months. The residents said they have not had news of officials after that.
Monday’s protest also referred to the shortage of water they face. As of March 22, Sheva Koliwada has been receiving water only for an hour in eight days, said Mr. Koli. “We have filed 32 demands in our letter today to Tehsildar.”
The demands include the statement of Hanuman Koliwada Gram Panchayat permanently invalid; Investigate the reasons for the delay in rehabilitation; Reasons for water supply failures for the MIDC; A detailed probe on the funds issued for rehabilitation and the lack of promises implementation; and criminal action against JNPT officials for delaying rehabilitation.
Published – April 14, 2025 11:17 PM IST