SRA slammed for failing to complete rehabilitation project in 13 years
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court (HC) on Tuesday rapped the slum rehabilitation authority (SRA) for failing to take action towards the completion of the rehabilitation project of Pali Parierawadi at Bandra, which is pending for the past 13 years.
The division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and justice RI Chagla said the authority cannot remain content merely by issuing a stop work notice [issued in 2018] and not take any action, especially when slum dwellers are waiting for rehabilitation for around 13 years. “This is absolutely ruthless,” the bench said on SRA’S approach.
Irked that neither the SRA official present in court nor its lawyer could tell the court as to what SRA was supposed to do after issuance of a stop work notice, the bench had summoned SRA’S chief executive officer Deepak Kapoor. Accordingly, he was present in court on Tuesday for the hearing of a petition filed by Cyril Thomas Mecwan seeking a declaration that the amalgamation of the slum scheme being implemented by RKW Developers and neighbouring Adarsh Nagar slum scheme being implemented by Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL) was illegal.
During the course of hearing, senior advocate Sachin Dhakephalkar, representing RKW Developers, informed the court that under the arrangement between the two developers, HDIL was to construct rehabilitation buildings for both the projects while RKW Developers was to finance the construction by developing the sale components of both the projects jointly. But, HDIL is now not in a position to complete the buildings.
He further said RKW Developers intends to complete the rehabilitation project. HC allowed the developer to submit a proposal to SRA in two weeks for the project and directed Kapoor to consider it on its on merit. The bench also asked Kapoor to reconstitute SRA’S panel of advocates after inviting applications by publishing advertisements.
The court has posted Mecwan’s petition for further hearing after four weeks.