Mhada, MMRDA, CIDCO can complete stuck SRA projects: Fadnavis

State government allows MHADA, MMRDA & CIDCO to complete stalled SRA projects in Mumbai. Transit rent issues and NOC transfer process also addressed for improved efficiency.

MUMBAI: The state government on Thursday announced that Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects which are stuck can be completed by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). This was stated by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis while answering a question in the legislative council on SRA projects.

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“The SRA is a market-driven scheme,” said Fadnavis. “Slum dwellers are given free houses by builders earning from the saleable component of the project. This is not feasible at all places even in cities like Nagpur and Pune. It is feasible in Mumbai, as Mumbai has a paucity of land and the saleable component is profitable. We have to take a different approach in each city.”

BJP MLC Pravin Darekar said that transit rent was not being paid by builders in many SRA projects. He added that there were lacunae in the present scheme, and many residents would not get a home “for 100 years”.

Fadnavis said that he had held a meeting a few days earlier with chief minister Eknath Shinde, and a policy decision had been taken that SRA projects could be taken over by MHADA, MMRDA, BMC and CIDCO apart from other builders. “In some places, where developers have abandoned a project, agencies like CIDCO and MHADA can also take up the work,” he said. “Further steps are being taken on this.”

The bad condition of transit camps in Mumbai was also discussed, and housing minister Atul Save said that he would personally visit them on Tuesday.

Replying to another question, Save said that the NOC required to transfer SRA houses would be made available online, and it would be made mandatory to give an NOC in 45 days. He said this would reduce human interference and claimed that the online NOC process would be started in a month’s time. At present, there are allegations that bribes have to be paid for getting NOCs to transfer SRA houses.