Mangrove affected land beneficiaries to avail deposit

Mumbai: Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) will refund the earnest money deposit (EMD) with interest to the mangroves affected land beneficiaries, with 2,000 such plot owners receiving the benefit.

Those who get the EMD will be persons who had purchased lands from Mhada in 1995-96.

However, the high court put a restriction on the use of these lands due to the presence of mangroves.

Since the buyers were affected by the Bombay high court’s decision and could not make use of these lands, the Mhada Thursday decided to refund them the earnest money deposit.

According to the decision, those who contact the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority for refund will get the earnest money deposit with interest. There were 2,600 cluster plots and 156 bungalow plots that were sold. Mhada collected Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 as earnest money deposit for the cluster lands.

A total 25 per cent of the beneficiaries deposited earnest money deposit for the cluster lands and 90 per cent of the beneficiaries deposited earnest money deposit for the bungalow plots.

The price of the land is between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3.50 lakh. After the high court decision, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority had not given possession of the land which is within a 50m area of the mangroves.

Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority has appealed to beneficiaries who had deposited the earnest money deposit to contact its Bandra office for refund.