Allotment of 39 Amenity Plots in Mumbai Set to Be Cancelled
The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has requested the state housing department to cancel amenity plots in Mumbai. The amenity plots are usually awarded to charitable and educational trusts by the chief ministers on discretionary basis.
Bombay High Court had cancelled the process of preferential allotment in April 2004 and had directed for more transparency in the process.
Cancelling amenity plots
The housing body conducted an internal inquiry about a year ago regarding the preferential allotment of plots for the period 1999 to 2003. Some of the plots were allotted to trusts belonging to some politicians. Out of the 67 allotted plots, beneficiaries of about 39 plots had not developed the desired amenities. MHADA scrutinized these plots for full payment, full possession of the plot, any litigation and so on.
Once the recommendations of MHADA are implemented by the housing department, the housing authority will put these plots for developing the amenities through a tendering process. MHADA’s survey is however preliminary. It has not conducted any hearings with the concerned parties. The housing department has called for additional information regarding these plots.
Cases of amenity plot allotment
A couple of the amenity plots allotted includes a 10,000 sq.mt plot and another 2,000 sq.mt belonging to Nargis Dutt Charitable Trust. The 10,000 sq.mt was given to build a hospital while the 2,000 sq.mt plot was given to build a school. The trust claimed that it had surrendered the plot allotted to it voluntarily as it could not make the necessary payment. Another plot was allotted to Kasegaon Education Society belonging to an NCP minister. The education society has a 3,550sq.mt plot in Malwani which is undeveloped.
An MLC was allotted a 1,000 sq.mt plot in Gandhi Nagar, Bandra East. The MLC said that formalities for taking possession of the plot were never completed and the possession of the plot was given up years ago. One plot in Oshiwara belongs to the Saishraddha Cooperative Housing Society. The plot was given to the Cooperative Housing Society with the intent of building a residential building. MHADA requested the housing department to cancel the allotment to the housing society as it hasn’t responded to repeated notices for developing the land.
