Difficult to crack down on illegal tenements: SRA

The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) said it would be difficult for authorities to identify illegal tenements and evict them in all its schemes in the city.

The SRA has rationalised it by saying that it was possible the people who are staying illegally could be possibly needy or real buyers or who were not informed about the rules and norms of the SRA. According to the norms, transfer of tenancy rights is prohibited within 10 years of allotment to the allottee.

It was earlier reported by The Asian Age that the SRA will carry out a video-graphic survey of all the allotments it has made in all its schemes till now in the city. The reason behind the move is that the Bombay high court in its November 4 order had directed the SRA to carry out the survey for the same in a phase-wise manner and take action against the illegal transfers.

Aseem Gupta, chief executive officer, SRA, said, “It will be difficult to identify the illegal transfers and evict them. There are times when the buyers are needy or are real buyers who are not aware of the norms and rules of the transfer of flats in the SRA schemes. After the survey is done we will have to understand the gravity of the problem and come out with a better policy for the same. However, we will follow the orders of the court and evict the illegal tenements.”

He said the SRA would carry out a door-to-door video-graphic survey where its representatives would videotape the actual owner, family members and also the flat. There are 1,50,000 lakh tenements on whom the survey will be carried on and also where the minimum of 10 years has not been completed, the allottee will not be allowed to sublet or transfer the given flat to anyone.

However, Bhagwanji Raiyani, founder of NGO Janhit Manch, which had filed a Public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court, said, “If the SRA has so much sympathy for illegal tenements they should file an affidavit for the same in the Bombay high court.”

According to an SRA official, it is not easy to evict the illegal tenements, as there are vested interests of few politicians and developers backing the real owners allowing them sublet or transfer the given flat before completing 10 years.