SC order a relief to Mumbai slum

NEWDELHI: Coming to the aid of 800 Mumbai slum dwellers locked in a legal battle with developers for over 30 years, the Supreme Court, on Wednesday, directed Maharashtra’s Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to ensure development of their land.

The court also directed the SRA to ensure that slum-dwellers were rehabilitated in to proper accommodations within 2 years from the sanction of a development plan.

The case relates to a piece of land measuring 23018.50 square metres in Santa Cruz (East) belonging to the Ardeshir Cursetji Pestonji Wadia Trust.

A slum had developed on the land and later, the Trust transferred the entire land to the slum dwellers.

Subsequently, the slum dwellers got into an agreement with a builder wherein the builder would make dwelling units for them on the condition that homes will be built on 11,000 sq mtrs. The remaining 12,497 sq mtrs was to be developed for free sale by the builder.

However, over a period of time, differences arose between the slum dwellers association and the builder and the project could not take off.

A bench of Justices Madan Lokur and Deepak Gupta directed the SRA to invite letters of interest from renowned builders for development.

Ruing the state of affairs, the court said, “The dream of over 800 slum dwellers who also happen to be owners of the land of having a permanent roof over their head has not turned into reality for more than three decades.”

The verdict also said, “... the developers may also indicate what benefit they will give to the members of the society ....”

It added, “The successful bidder must give a bank guarantee of ₹200 crore to ensure that it does not violate the terms and conditions of the rehabilitation scheme...”