Mill workers' committee ready to accept Karjat homes if prices are cut further

The decades-old struggle of Mumbai's mill workers for homes in the city is close to ending. The Girni Kamgar Sangharsh Samiti (GKSS) has decided it is ready to take homes in the proposed project at Shelu in Karjat. The committee represents about 20,000 mill workers. The workers have, however, set a condition: they want house prices reduced further.

The decision was taken at a one-day meeting of mill workers in Vasai. The meeting discussed the government's housing policy for mill workers. Concern was also expressed over the uncertainty that has persisted over rehabilitation for decades.

The position was different earlier. Many mill workers' organisations had opposed proposals to build homes far from Mumbai. They said that shifting elderly workers and their families would hurt their livelihoods and cut their connection with Mumbai. Their stance has now changed because of better connectivity and urbanisation in other parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The foundation stone of the Shelu project was laid on May 1 this year. Three days later, on May 4, a work order was issued to Karmayogi AVP Realty. The project, called Girgaon Township, proposes 31,005 homes.

The first decision to give mill workers homes in Mumbai was taken in 1991, when the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sudhakarrao Naik was in power in Maharashtra. Workers are still waiting for homes after all these years.

The meeting criticised the government for failing to keep its repeated promises of homes in Mumbai. The workers' representatives said the government has issued three government resolutions to invite tenders for housing projects, but these too contain no clear promise of homes in Mumbai.

The workers are thus now willing to take homes in Karjat, far from Mumbai, but their condition of a further cut in prices stands. Their complaint that the government has not been clear about giving homes in Mumbai also remains.