MHADA Plans Repossession of Unused Lands
In its latest move, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has planned to take back the non-developed plots allotted to housing societies and charitable trusts. MHADA has taken this step as the land bank of MHADA is depleting.
MHADA is the housing board responsible for building, allotment and maintenance of residential buildings under different housing schemes for different sections of the society. It is also responsible for coordinating and controlling activities of different regional housing boards which include Mumbai and Pune. One of MHADA’s key responsibilities is to build affordable houses in the regions of Mumbai and Pune. Mumbai is currently facing a huge challenge in terms of available land and affordable houses.
Cases of land repossession
There are already three cases where MHADA has requested the state government to cancel its land allotment in Oshiwara. Two of them belong to the Nargis Dutt Charitable Trust and one belongs to the Saishraddha Cooperative Housing Society. The Nargis Dutt Charitable Trust was given a plot of 10,000 sq.mt to build a hospital and 2,000 sq.mt to build a school. The plot given to Saishraddha Cooperative Housing Society was with the intent of building a residential building.
The charitable trust claimed that it had voluntarily surrendered the plot allotted to it as it could not make the necessary payment. The trust had received the physical possession only a few years ago after the late actor and politician Sunil Dutt’s death. The trust however could not make the payment of Rs. 21 crore due to lack of resources. The asking price was brought down to Rs. 11 crore. However, the trust was unable to make the payment as well.
In the case of the cooperative society, MHADA has requested the government to cancel the plot allotment to the housing society as it didn’t respond to repeated notices for land development. MHADA is currently sending more notices to allottees who haven’t developed the plots.
