Authority slaps HDIL with stop work notice

The Slum Rehabilitation Authority has issued a stop work notice to a city developer, Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL), after it gave a cheque of Rs 15 crore which bounced. The developer was roped in for a slum rehabilitation project at Kurla.

The developer built his separate sale component on the basis of the Floor Space Index he received after rehabilitating the slum residents. However, the developer allegedly carried out the construction work without required permissions which incurred penalties of nearly Rs 61 crore.

Speaking to the Free Press Journal, Right to Information activist Anil Galgali said, "Former SRA CEO Vishwas Patil had approved the deferments in the Premier project of HDIL on September 23 last year. The regularisation of the project was sought to be done through levying a penalty as deferments of Rs 61. 55 crore. The third installment of the payment was made by four cheques Rs 15.84 crores which had bounced."

Galgali further revealed that one of the cheques bounced in June, however, the authorities issued a stop work notice in July. He said, "The audit officer on June 22 demanded the outstanding payment with 18% interest and directed the executive engineer of the concerned project to recover the same. The executive engineer issued a letter to HDIL on July 10, directing them to stop the construction activity of the sale component building till it obtains a No Objection Certificate from the audit department."

In addition to this, Galgali has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting him to probe into the matter and blacklist the developer. The activist has also requested the CM to set an inquiry on Patil for sanctioning the project without necessary permissions.