Mumbai, March 13 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday directed concerned agencies to find a permanent solution for the rehabilitation of encroachers in Borivali’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).

During a meeting held at Vidhan Bhavan, the Chief Minister instructed officials to verify nearby available lands and create a formal plan for rehabilitation.

He further mandated that the park’s boundaries be fixed within a specific timeframe and that citizens residing on these boundaries be rehabilitated on a priority basis.

The Chief Minister also directed that basic civic amenities be provided to the encroachers on humanitarian grounds until their rehabilitation is complete. For those on the Mulund and Thane sides of the park, he instructed officials to identify nearby sites for their relocation.

“The Housing Department must evaluate available land options and submit a rehabilitation plan within one month, prioritising the simplest and fastest execution methods. Once boundaries are fixed, approximately 5,000 citizens residing on the boundaries and in ‘core areas’ should be rehabilitated immediately using nearby available land, following all legal regulations. The process of removal and rehabilitation must strictly adhere to the directives issued by the High Court to resolve this issue permanently,” said the Chief Minister.

He further directed that Thane, Mira-Bhayandar, and Mumbai Municipal Corporations, along with the Housing and Forest Departments, must work in coordination, and concerned departments must ensure that no new encroachments occur around the park in the future.

He said that total care must be taken to ensure no one is treated unfairly during the process. Additionally, the exact number of encroachers must be verified.

According to the government release, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park is the world’s largest national park located within a metropolitan city.

It plays a vital role in Mumbai’s flood control; it serves as the catchment area for Tulsi, Vihar, and Powai lakes. It has been the origin point of the Dahisar, Poinsar, Mithi, and Oshiwara rivers.

The park is a major attraction for millions of domestic and international tourists, famous for nature trails and wildlife spotting.

The park contains 43 padas (hamlets) and townships, housing over 2,000 tribal families.

–IANS

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