MHADA STILL AWAITS application of claimants

Out of 107 flats, the housing authority has received just 2 letters

Even six years after state government announced Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) flats for martyr's in Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, only two applications have been received till date. The scheme was floated by state government in May 2012 keeping in mind MHADA offered 107 martyrs heir flats of those who worked in mills and laid their lives in Samyukta Maharashtra Movement.

On May 3, 2012, the state government had announced flats to the heir of martyrs who worked in mills. “At least 23 flats have been alloted to the legal heir of those martyrs who were also mill workers. Out of the total number of 107 martrys, 23 persons have been identified as mill workers, said said Sanjay Bhagwat, Joint Chief Officer of the Mumbai Board of MHADA.

Bhagwat said they were allotted homes on the mill land in the city. “They will be allotted houses without a MHADA lottery system and would be handed over to them free of cost.”

These houses have a measurement of at least 269 square meters. The officials said no person is able to provided proper proofs before 1956.

“We have received applications from only two legal heir of mill workers. They are unable to produce the right document proving their claim of being a legal heir,” said the official.

The MHADA officials are planning to send a proposal to the government requesting them to look into the matter and finding a solution on the same.

“We shall wait until people are trying to approach us and proving the claim. If needed, a proposal would be sent to the government in order to bring a solution to this problem,” added Bhagwat. The officials have also used social media to track the heir of martyrs who were mill workers.

“We informed the deputy collector from each areas in Maharashtra by forwarding them messages regarding the criteria to claim the houses constructed for heir of martyrs who were mill workers,” added another MHADA official.

The officials said the flats would be handed over to the mill workers under the MHADA scheme. “We can't keep the flats vacant for long as they have been lying in the same manner for the past six years,” added the MHADA official.

The two allottees (legal heirs martyrs who were also mill workers) to whom the flats were allotted did not respond to the calls made by this reporter.

MHADA offered 107 martyrs’ heirs flats for those who worked in the mills and had laid down their lives in Samyukta Maharashtra Movement