Residents Unite Against Eviction
On a tense Tuesday morning, the residents of Darukhana, Mumbai, faced the imminent threat of losing their homes. The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) had issued
a seven-day eviction notice to approximately 120 households spread across two settlements, comprising 98 and 20 homes respectively. The MbPA declared these dwellings as unauthorized encroachments and security risks, further warning that any non-compliance would result in demolition and the sale of occupants' belongings to cover demolition costs. However, the community, many of whom have resided there since 1995 and are primarily workers connected to local workshops, refused to be displaced without a fight. As MbPA officials arrived with police, an estimated 400 residents, including women and children, formed an unyielding human chain along New Tank Bunder Road, effectively blocking any attempt at demolition. This spontaneous act of collective resistance brought the eviction proceedings to a standstill, leading to the eventual departure of officials by early afternoon.
The Eviction Notice and Its Aftermath
The sequence of events leading to the confrontation began with an official notice served by the MbPA on April 17, mandating residents to vacate within seven days. This was followed by a further notice on April 22 from the Sewri police, confirming the demolition dates and imposing a Section 144 order, which prohibits the assembly of more than four people, seemingly to deter any organized protest. Residents expressed deep anxiety, fearing they would be uprooted without any provision for alternative housing, a concern amplified by the MbPA's stated lack of a formal housing policy. Activists from the Jan Haqq Sangharsh Samiti were present to support the community, highlighting the precarious situation many urban dwellers face without secure housing rights. The MbPA officials, unable to proceed with the demolition due to the massive peaceful protest, eventually advised residents to seek a stay order from the courts before they withdrew from the scene.
