Azad Nagar, Wadala chawl residents protest against RNA developers.

By Abhay Shah, Realty Quarter

On Sunday, over 200 residents of Azad Nagar chawls in Wadala protested against East and West Developers, part of the RNA Group, demanding that either they be paid a 22-months’ rent for transit accommodation in accordance with the March 2019 High Court Order or that the BMC should terminate the development agreement with the developer.

Those who once resided in 32 ground floor chawls on an 8.5 acre plot close to Wadala bus station yelled slogans against the developer and kept posters stating “Modiji is busy with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, RNA builder meanwhile cleaning up our homes.”

Residents said the 32 chawls came into existence after the government resettled families impacted by the April 1944 Bombay Dock Explosion.

The redevelopment project was launched in 2002 and the formation of the Azad Nagar Co-operative Housing Society. The society selected East and West developers in 2006 and a tripartite agreement was signed under Development Control Regulation 33(7) between the society, the BMC and the RNA group for the redevelopment of cessed structures. By 2015, all 321 tenants’ homes had been demolished.

“However, no construction work was done by the builder. A majority of 291 tenants have not been paid the agreed Rs 40,000 transit rent for the past 22 months, with an annual increase of Rs 4000 per month as fixed by the HC,” a tenant said.

Since the developer failed to fulfill the obligations, on 20 March 2019 a number of tenants approached the High Court and Justice Gautam Patel, went down heavily on the RNA group and issued an order warning the business that if it fails to pay rent twice, all agreements with the developer will be terminated automatically, irrespective of anything given in any prior order or consent terms.

Despite the order, the tenants said from May onwards the developer failed on transit rent. They also claim that the BMC is inactive about the matter. A protestor said the cooperative society, which is intended to portray all of us, did not file any contempt of court plea.

When approached, an RNA spokesman said: “To date, despite the fact that the delay is due to litigation between some tenants and the society, we have paid more than Rs 120 crore as rent. We’ve always been with the tenants. We expect BMC approvals and clarity on 2034 Development Control Regulations in the next two weeks and will begin work immediately”.