Housing societies responsible for project delays: SRA

Numerous complaints against housing societies of slums are pending with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). A minimum of 70% of eligible slum dwellers in a slum pocket come together to form a cooperative housing society which is mandatory for the implementation of the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme.

Such complaints against these specific societies from cheating eligible slum dwellers and conniving with the officials to exclude their names from the beneficiary list have been pending with SRA’s complaint cell since decades, revealed a senior SRA official. Moreover, several slum residents also complain that the societies misuse their powers and carry out illegal constructions in the rehab structures to earn more profit.

Rubina Khan, one of the residents of Nehru Nagar’s rehab structure, told Free Press Journal that the committee members of her society push around with other residents who raise voice against them.

“They have illegally constructed four walls at a vacant area beside the elevator. They have rented out the unauthorised place. Residents who tried to raise voice against them were bullied and oppressed.”

Khan added that she is running from pillar to post for rectifying a name correction in her allotment letter which the committee members have delayed for more than four years now. The authorities have time and again issued notices to societies after their disputes delay the entire rehabilitation project. Recently, SRA directed their officials to take strict action against societies responsible for delays in rehab projects for nearly 10 years.

Speaking to FPJ, a senior official from SRA said, “Slum-dwellers depend on members of the society for their documentation work who also represent the entire slum. Most of the times, the societies fraudulently acquire more than one flat and rule out the names of eligible beneficiaries. Also, the deputy collector should prevent such irregularities carried out in the beneficiary list by the society members and officials.”

Although societies are accused of carrying out irregularities in the rehab project, no action against such societies has been taken so far. Residents say the authority should be completely responsible for ensuring that only original slum residents should be given flats.

Free Press Journal was the first to report about 160 families of a Ghatkopar slum that were denied permanent homes. The families blamed the society members alleging them of conniving with SRA officials and acquiring more flats illegally.

An inquiry into the matter revealed that 115 occupants of the rehab structure submitted fake documents.