Mumbai: Kurla’s Nehru Nagar locals launch postcard campaign to save their open space

Local residents of Nehru Nagar have launched a movement to save the government dairy plot in Kurla East

Local residents from Nehru Nagar, Kurla East, on Sunday decided to start a postcard movement by sending multiple postcards to the chief minister and the prime minister appealing to withdraw the controversial Government Resolution (GR) of rehabilitating Dharavi project affected residents on the Kurla dairy plot. Shiv Sena leader and MLA from Worli Aaditya Thackeray had on Thursday joined hands with Nehru Nagar Kurla residents who have been protesting to save the Mother Dairy plot at Nehru Nagar.

mid-day had been reporting since February 2024 how residents had started a citizen movement terming it ‘Lok Chalwal' to reserve the old Kurla government dairy land for a garden and recreation ground to maintain greenery and have an open space in the area.

Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena leader

A Government Resolution (GR) was issued on June 10 by the Dairy Development Department highlighting the Dharavi redevelopment project as "vital and of public importance" offering the Kurla government dairy plot to be provided at a 25 per cent discount below the ready reckoner rates for rehabilitation of Dharavi slum dwellers.

"Today, it is more than 15 days since the GR was issued affecting us, the residents of Nehru Nagar, and there is no official word from the government about its withdrawal or roll back. This silence is unacceptable. It is obvious that the voice of the common man is being ignored. We have decided to send postcards to the CM and PM appealing to withdraw the GR. The greenery at the Kurla plot needs to be preserved at all costs," said Kiran Pailwan, one of the local residents spearheading the agitation.

After local MLA Mangesh Kudalkar and MP Varsha Gaikwad had earlier pledged support to the cause, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday jumped into the controversy taking the residents' side.

"Is Mumbai being sold to a single industrialist? Does Mumbai's voice not matter? Like Mulund, even Kurla is opposed to giving land to a private industrialist, under the guise of Dharavi Redevelopment. The rights claimed over our city by the developer are more than any colonialist in the past!" Thackeray said.
"We will oppose this sale of Mumbai, tooth and nail!" he said.

June 10
Date GR was issued by Dairy Development Dept