Mumbai: An FIR has been filed against the developer of the Royal Palms sprawl in Goregaon’s Aarey Colony for failing to hand over to Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) 349 tenements meant for project-affected persons (PAPs) 30 years since the project was initiated.
The slum redevelopment project was the first ever scheme to be taken up in the city and the free tenement size increased from 180sqft to 225sqft.
Mumbai North-West MP Ravindra Waikar from
Shiv Sena last month lodged a complaint with deputy CM
Eknath Shinde, who handles the housing portfolio, seeking an inquiry into the scheme to trace the missing 349 PAP tenements. The FIR has been registered with Aarey police, Waikar was informed on Thursday at a meeting with SRA officials.
The scheme, registered under the name Royal Palms at Aarey Colony by developer Amir Park and Amusement Pvt Ltd, was issued a letter of intent in March 1996. The proposed scheme included 12 rehabilitation buildings and 10 sale component buildings. Only seven rehabilitation buildings were completed and granted an occupancy certificate (OC). Around 104 eligible slumdwellers were rehabilitated. Neither were the remaining five buildings completed nor were the 349 PAP tenements handed over to SRA.
Of the 10 sale component buildings, five received OCs; the remaining still do not have the document. Residents of these buildings have to pay double for civic amenities as the structures are deemed unauthorised.
“The developer has sold the flats meant for PAPs to ineligible slumdwellers. The redevelopment scheme which started a very long time ago is still not complete. No action has been taken despite BMC not having issued occupancy certificates. Govt should have taken action against the developer,” said Waikar.
Meanwhile, an FIR has been filed, based on a complaint from SRA, against developer Satish Dattani who had been awarded the redevelopment of Bhagat Singh Nagar in Goregaon West. Waikar said the developer sold 229 rehabilitation flats instead of handing them over to SRA. “In these cases, all eligible slumdwellers were not rehabilitated while tenements were sold to ineligible slumdwellers,” he said.
SRA has also initiated action under Section 13(2) of Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, to remove the developer and appoint another. Similar action has been initiated against Shrimali Realty that has undertaken the Koyna Nagar Redevelopment Scheme in Goregaon East, which has been delayed for over 20 years. Officials assured the MP that the developer would be removed within a week. In the case of Mayur Nagar, also in Aarey Colony, SRA officials said the proposal has been sent to the state govt for its approval.
