NAVI MUMBAI: Activists have raised concern over the rich and poor divide leading to delay and denial of rental housing scheme projects developed in Panvel taluka for poor beneficiaries.
Four such projects have total 15,720 flats developed in 88 separate buildings, a few of which are under construction. Of these 3,234 flats are of 320 sq ft and 12,486 flats are of 160 sq ft.
Based on an RTI, the activists have also alleged that these flats cannot be given unless flats for the rich are sold out by the four developers. The government will have to bear more towards repairing and maintenance of these flats. Under the state housing policy-2007, the scheme with participation of the private sector was initiated in 2008.
The MMRDA is the project implementation agency for the scheme in its entire region. The scheme allows additional floor space index to the developers and in return gets free houses with a carpet area of 160 sq ft and 320 sq ft along with accompanied land from the developers. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Matheran municipal council areas are excluded from this scheme.
The data is obtained by activist Rajeev Mishra. The Raichur village project having 2,038 flats and Kon village having 4,834 flats of 160 sq ft each are reserved for mill workers of Mhada. Kolkhe village having 5,614 flats (160 sq ft each) and 3,234 flats (320 sq ft each) are reserved for Cidco, project affected persons (PAPs) of MMRDA and Mhada, but construction work of some buildings are in progress.
Mhada has taken out a lottery for the Kon village project in December 2016 for the mill workers. However, none of them has been allotted. Mhada is yet to conduct the lottery for the Raichur village housing project.
Mishra alleged, “The ready flats are neither handed over to the beneficiaries nor do they give financial returns to government agencies. The government agencies have to bear additional cost towards repairing, etc., of these flats for delay. The sale of luxurious flats of the developers is affected due to its proximity to poor class housing scheme flats. The developers’ lobby has played a spoilsport in the background for their benefits thus delaying the handover of the flats to the poor beneficiaries and resulting in paralysing the housing policy.”
Another activist Bharat Jadhav said, “The readied flats should be handed over to the slum dwellers who are eligible beneficiaries under the slum rehabilitation scheme of the PCMC. The slum dwellers cannot afford to pay the difference in rent for alternate houses as offered by PCMC during development period. The rent should go directly to exchequer.”
Mhada PRO Vaishali Gadpale said, “Two adjoining flats are amalgamated in the Kon project to meet the demand of the beneficiaries. The Raichur village project has not been handed over but status will have to be checked.”
