Mumbai News: SRA Clarifies Biometric Survey Is Only for Slums, Not Gaothans & Koliwadas

Mumbai: After opposition to the slum biometric survey from residents of Mumbai’s gaothans and koliwadas, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) clarified that the survey is meant only for slums.

Residents of the gaothans and koliwadas, many of which predate the establishment of Mumbai, have been opposing slum surveys in the localities, claiming that the areas have a distinct character and cannot be classified as slums. There are over 180 such settlements inside Mumbai and residents have been demanding demarcation of the localities to distinguish them from surrounding slums.

Residents do not want a slum tag for the areas because the categorisation will restrict redevelopment rights and force them to accept the limited rehabilitation rights available to slums. Residents of Chimbai village, Bandra, and Kurla Christian Village had protested after they received notices for a survey in February and March. In a public notice issued last week, the SRA’s Brihanmumbai Biometric Survey Cell clarified that the survey will only cover slums.

The notice also said that slum localities will be notified by a public notice before the survey. After the public notice, community groups have asked residents of the gaothans to be vigilant. "Should you observe or receive a notice indicating that any survey teams are conducting biometric data collection in any gaothan or koliwada, please report it immediately. Include details such as the names, photos, and agency credentials of the officials involved to us," said Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation.

About The Survey Being Conducted By The SRA

The SRA is conducting a biometric survey of all slums located in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area under instructions from the state Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and housing minister. The deadline to complete the survey of around 800,000 slum units is December 31, 2025. The government said that the survey will ensure that the rights of the slum dwellers are protected in redevelopment projects and ensure that new encroachers do not claim benefits of SRA schemes. The public notice has also clarified that the survey is being conducted by the SRA without the involvement of developers or private organisations.