Mumbai metropolitan development body draws ire for allotting 311 flats to its employees

Mumbai

The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) on December 27 allotted 311 flats in Powai to its employees in the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Low-Income Group (LIG) categories, raising the hackles of social activists.

In 1986, the state government had allotted 121 hectares of land to Hiranandani Group for constructing houses for EWS and LIG. However, the leading construction firm allegedly built luxury flats with an area of more than 1,000 sqft.

This irregularity was challenged in the Bombay High Court by social activist Medha Patkar through public interest litigation (PIL).

While passing interim order in 2017 on Patkar’s application, the HC had asked the builder to construct 1,511 EWS flats and 1,593 LIG flats. The court also passed the order that only 40 sq mt and 80 sq mt flats should be constructed and only one person from a family should be allotted one house.

According to the order, no amalgamation of flats was to be allowed and 15 percent flats were to be given to state government employees.

Along with the order, the HC had also appointed a three-member committee of representatives of the municipal corporation, the MMRDA and the urban development department and asked them to submit a status report every six months to the court.

Speaking to Mirror, Patkar alleged, “The MMRDA, whose ex-officio chairperson is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in its meeting held on November 21 passed a resolution to allot 311 flats to its present and future employees.” She said that the MMRDA’s action is completely unilateral and it did not seek court’s permission before doing so. She also said that it’s strange that the state is not allotting houses to project affected persons from Mahul but giving them to their own employees.

Patkar further said, “Now we will move court and ask it to direct the MMRDA to tell us how many flats of the 3,000-odd units it was to receive from Hiranandani, how many did it actually receive and how they were utilised.”

The text message sent to MMRDA’s Metropolitan Commissioner RA Rajeev and the CM remained unanswered at the time of going to press.