Mumbai: SRA hands builder same project that got him booked

Slumdwellers in Borivlis Rajendra Nagar are disappointed with the Slum Redevelopment Authority SRA After making them wait for over 23 years to get a house in a redevelopment project in the area the body has given the project back to a developer who has been booked for cheating a buyer The conditional approval was given in March and despite protests from the slum dwellers in the months since SRA has not acted against the developerThe slum dwellers said the Rajendra Kunj slum redevelopment project was initiated in 1995 but in the decades since construction of the homes promised to them has remained incompleteIn 2017 following complaints by society members against developer Rajendra Barde who is the managing director of the Truly Creative Developer Private Limited SRA authorities visited the plot and inspected the projectAlso ReadMumbai Boy dies after falling in 18 feet trench at SRA site in KandivliThe Rajendra Kunj slum redevelopment project today PicDatta KumbharDuring this visit authorities observed that some of the flats meant for rehabilitating approximately 1100 slum dwellers were allegedly being sold in the open market as a sale componentFiled FIRA managing committee member said SRA officials prepared a report and filed an FIR with the Kasturba Marg police station SRA even issued a showcause notice to the developer asking why the firm should not be blacklisted and provision of Section 13 2 of the Slum Act which deals with changing a developer should not be initiated against him Barde has more than one case against himA buyer who had booked a flat in the same project had filed a police complaint in 2018 against him Accordingly an FIR was registered by the Economic Offences Wing EOW of the Mumbai PoliceAlso Readmid day editorial BMC must stop encroachments in gaothansDreams shatteredDespite all of this on March 5 this year SRA gave a goahead to the same errant developer to complete the project which has not gone down too well with the slum dwellers who have been waiting for years to get a permanent homeAnother committee member said People have been waiting for over 23 years to get a house The existing developer has failed to keep his promises and deliver on time But instead of refraining from appointing the errant builder SRA asked the same old developer to complete the project we are sceptical of him The dreams of hundreds of slum dwellers have been shattered due to SRAs latest orderThe residents have already challenged this order at the High Power Committee The member added that they are now planning on approaching local political leaders If negotiations with them bear no fruit either they will end up boycotting the Assembly elections midday tried to reach out to SRA chief executive officer Deepak Kapoor repeatedly but he remained unavailable for commentDeveloper saysMeanwhile when midday spoke to Barde he refuted all the allegations and termed the delay as baseless He said Rival developers want to grab the project and are leaving no stone unturned to malign our image In fact the rival group has also taken political and criminal support to throw me out of this project But so far they have not succeeded in their goals I am sure they will not succeed in the future as wellAlso ReadMumbai Applying for SRA projects to get as easy as ordering foodUpon being asked he had been blacklisted by SRA Barde claimed that he was not given a hearing in the case while the orders were issued I approached the Chief Minister with my grievance After I met him SRA issued a notice against me under Section 13 2 of the Slum Act which deals with changing the developer SRA authorities were convinced with my replies to the notice following which they issued conditional approval to complete the project he addedBarde said the fight between him and other groups that want in on the project has now reached the courtroom The other party has approached the court for arbitration The hearing in the case is scheduled for August 1 he saidRajendra Kunjs unending wait1995 Letter of Intent LOI was issued for the project under the Slum Redevelopment Scheme2003 Revised LOI issued for the project2016 Another revised LOI was issued2017 Rajendra Kunj society complained to SRA about flats meant for rehabilitation being allegedly sold as sale component Accordingly SRA officials inspected the site and thereafter lodged an FIR with the local police station2018 One of the buyers filed a case with EOW SRA issued showcause notice and a separate notice under section 13 2 of Slum Act to Barde2019 SRA gave conditional approval to Barde to complete the projectAlso ReadJust after BMC evacuates 1000 locals portion of Chandivli road caves inCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates