Thane: Transport minister and Ovala-Majiwada MLA Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday directed officials to fast-track 11 Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects in his constituency that have remained stalled for years, with some pending for nearly two decades.
Sarnaik reviewed the projects at SRA office in Thane and expressed concern over delays that have prevented eligible slum residents from getting their promised homes. He said developers who had failed to make progress despite repeated opportunities should not be allowed to hold up rehabilitation projects indefinitely.
“Developers who are not interested in completing projects or have been delaying them for years should be removed, and the projects should be handed over to capable and financially sound developers,” Sarnaik directed officials.
The review covered the status of individual projects, pending permissions, developer performance, residents’ grievances, rehabilitation-related hurdles and projects connected with proposed cluster redevelopment schemes.
Sarnaik stressed that the primary objective of the SRA scheme was to provide safe, permanent and self-owned homes to eligible slum residents. He directed officials to adopt a time-bound approach and ensure that administrative procedures and approvals were completed without further delay.
“The inactivity of developers should not become a punishment for ordinary slum residents. Instead of keeping citizens waiting for assurances year after year, priority must be given to completing the projects and providing them their rightful homes,” Sarnaik said.
He also instructed concerned departments to work in coordination and expedite necessary administrative action to revive the long-pending projects.
