The tribal residents of three adivasi padas will be provided different accommodation on five acres of Force One land in Aarey Milk Colony. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday accepted the plan to shift the adivasis to the Force One land.
The non-adivasi residents will be provided tenements meant for Project Affected Persons (PAPs). While the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority will build the houses for the tribals, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority will provide the PAP tenements. After the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai, the state government then decided to set up an elite counter-terrorism force on the lines of the National Security Guards. The Force One was initially provided land at Kalina, Santacruz. Furthermore, the land was inadequate for training purposes. The government then assigned 98.6 acres of Aarey Milk Colony land to the force.
Shiv Sena MLA Ravindra Waikar, who represents Jogeshwari assembly constituency that includes the Aarey Milk Colony, said there are three adivasi padas Chafa 1, Chafa 2 and Kelti pada in the vicinity of the Force One land. “Owing to the presence of these padas, the force cannot use the area for its firing range. Since 2012, I have been urging the government to shift them elsewhere,” he said.
