Slum dwellers granted five-year window to sell SRA flats, benefits 2.5 lakh beneficiaries

The Maharashtra state government has passed a bill allowing slum dwellers in Mumbai to sell their allotted flats within five years, benefiting approximately 2.5 lakh flat holders in the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects. Previously, slum dwellers were restricted from selling their SRA flats for 10 years. The decision to reduce this period gained momentum during the previous government but was ultimately approved by the current government.

Mumbai: In a strategic move ahead of elections, the state government passed a bill allowing beneficiaries (slum dwellers) of Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects to sell their allotted flats within five years. Approximately 2.5 lakh flat holders in SRA, predominantly from Mumbai, are poised to benefit from this decision.

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Formerly, slum dwellers were constrained from selling their SRA flats for 10 years. The initiative to reduce this period gained momentum during the MVA government, under the then housing minister Jitendra Awhad. However, the political landscape shifted in June 2022, with the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition taking charge. The subsequent Shinde-Fadnavis government initially proposed a seven-year selling window in a March 2023 cabinet meeting but there was political and social pressure, ultimately approving the reduction to five years.

Housing Minister Atul Save informed that the Maharashtra Slum (Reformation, Eradication and Redevelopment) (Second Amendment) Bill 2023 was passed in both houses of the state legislature on Wednesday. “After the demand by people’s representatives to reduce the period to allow the sale of houses in SRA to five years, the state cabinet in a meeting held on December 19, 2023, took a positive decision. Now slum dwellers can sell the flats in SRA after five years. About 2.5 lakh flat holders in the state and mainly in Mumbai will get the benefit of this decision.” said Save.