"Starting in November 2004, the demolitions started in earnest. The government declared that under the leadership of Vilas Rao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, a team led by Johny Joseph, Municipal Commissioner and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Mr. Kalam Patil initiated the demolitions. Within the first 18 days, over 39,000 homes were demolished. Among the first, was a large settlement with over 6,200 homes in Ambujawadi in Malad, a North West suburb of Mumbai. An estimated 90,000 homes were demolished in 44 areas."

From last year's (June 2005) Report on Forced Evictions and Housing Policies for the Poor in Mumbai, "Bulldozing Rights," prepared by the Independent People's Tribunal on Environment & Human Rights.

Full report is available at: www.iptindia.org/pdf/Bulldozing.pdf.