As Elphinstone residents face relocation, official says they are being given flats worth nearly three times their surrendered shops; but families fear losing livelihoods even if property values rise
Plot 3/51 at Lalbaug’s Chivda Galli in Parel, an address residents said they were unable to trace while verifying MMRDA’s transit housing list. File Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Residents facing displacement from the Elphinstone redevelopment zone have alleged financial loss and unfair rehabilitation terms, but Additional Collector Shivaji Davbhat has defended the process, saying the flats being offered are significantly more valuable than the properties surrendered and that authorities are working to ensure no beneficiary is treated unfairly.
Shops vs flats Value dispute
Residents
>> Shops taken, homes given
>> Loss of income feared
Administration
>> Avg shop size: 135 sq ft
>> Shop value: about Rs 26 lakh
>> Flat value: Rs 70 lakh-Rs 80 lakh
“The houses allotted are significantly higher in market value than the shops surrendered,” said Davbhat. “Yes, they will have to look for space to continue their business, but residents were informed earlier that only residential units would be allotted.” He added that beneficiaries are entitled to 300 sq ft, but Elphinstone residents are being promised 400 sq ft. “If the house is smaller, we are paying the difference.”
Project snapshot
>> 119 total units in Haji Noorani and Lakshmi Niwas to be demolished
>> 83 families declared eligible for permanent housing
>> 78 MHADA flats secured for rehabilitation
>> 5 families opted for cash compensation
Rs 26L
Shop value
Rs 70L-Rs 80L
Flat value
Demand for nearby homes
Residents: Willing to pay extra for closer flats
Administration: No objection, but supply exhausted “Some who agreed earlier secured nearby units. At present, there are no MHADA homes available there,” Davbhat said.
Location concerns
Residents
>> Some flats beyond promised 2.5 km radius
>> Concerns about neighbourhoods
Administration
>> Full ownership rights
>> No restriction on resale
“Each flat is worth over Rs 70 lakh. Beneficiaries can sell and buy where they prefer,” Davbhat said.
He added that authorities cannot regulate social perceptions but have ensured financial value.
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