Will act against builder, SRA officials if found guilty: Ravindra Waikar

Minister of state for housing, Ravindra Waikar on Thursday said that action would be taken against a Ghatkopar-based builder Pankheshah Baba and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) officials, if irregularities are found in the process of preparing a list of eligible beneficiaries for a SRA project in Ghatkopar (west).

The reply came after Bhai Jagtap, member of Legislative Council from the Congress, told the housing minister that owing to the nexus between the builder and SRA officials, around 150 slum-dwellers who deserved homes in exchange of their slums after the redevelopment were not added in the annexure-II list. This, he claimed made the eligible slums dwellers, ineligible to receive homes after redevelopment.

Annexure-II is a list of tenants that is prepared by the developer and submitted to the SRA who verifies and acknowledges the same before the redevelopment project takes place. The list declares eligibility and non-eligibility of slum dwellers for a rehabilitation scheme.

“The names of the eligible slum-dwellers were removed and other names were inserted. They were of those buyers to whom the builder had sold the flats. This was possible as the wife of a SRA officer is working in builder’s firm and helped the builder in manipulating the annexure-II list,” said Mr Jagtap.

Mr Waikar replied, “Our aim is to provide every slum-dweller a durable home and we do not believe in snatching homes from those who deserve it. We shall call a hearing for the same and I request you (Mr Jagtap) to be present for it. If any wrongdoing found at the hearing, I assure you that we will take appropriate action.”