Indiranagar in Chimbel is notorious for criminal activity.But that’s not the story. Indiranagar also houses large number of illegal migrantdwellings making the area the largest slum at the outskirts of the capitalcity.
Around 7,000 people stay in houses at Indiranagar constructedin around 691 plots. The government hadallotted land to them under the Slum Clearance Scheme. While they had thepossession of the land the ownership was with the government.
The area houses a large migrant population mostly from neighbouringstates of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The 4500 strong voter strength makesIndiranagar a favourite political borough for aspiring politicians.
“In 1972 the area hadonly 360 houses. Later politicians converted the area into their vote bank byallowing more people to settle there,” said Anand Powar, a resident ofIndiranagar.
The local panch Mohan Narve sympathizes with the slumdwellers. “These people have a house number and pay tax to the panchayat. VictoriaFernandes was an MLA for 20 years but did nothing,” Narve said.
Batting for the migrants, Santa Cruz MLA AntanasioMonserrate asked on the floor of the House whether the government had any planto give ownership rights document to the residents.
The government said that it would look into the matter.
“These people have been staying here for decades. Earliergovernment only made promises. I will work to regularize their houses. It’s apromise I made in my manifesto,” Monserrate said.
But the locals in the area are angry. The villagers want the entire place cleared,as the area has brought bad name to the village.
