After Elphinstone residents demanded the redevelopment of their buildings and sought alternate transit homes nearby, hundreds of pagdi system tenants from across Mumbai gathered at Azad Maidan on Wednesday under the banner of Pagdi Ekta Sangh, demanding long-awaited justice. The protestors called for urgent intervention from the Maharashtra government and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) for the redevelopment of dilapidated and dangerous pagdi buildings. According to data shared by the Sangh, over 13,800 buildings under the pagdi system house more than 15 lakh residents across Mumbai.

While Elphinstone residents still await updates from authorities, the Pagdi Ekta Sangh has warned that if no action is taken, they will launch a citywide protest on August 17. The protest drew participation from senior citizens, women, and families who have been living in hazardous housing conditions for decades. The Sangh presented five concrete demands to the state. “If the authorities fail to respond, especially by starting redevelopment work on C1-classified buildings, our one lakh members will launch a larger citywide agitation on August 17,” said Pagdi Ekta Sangh chief Mukesh Shah.

Growing frustration