MHADA calls tenders for constructing 26,959 houses
The estimated project cost of this project is Rs 3,500 crore and MHADA will not reimburse, instead it will give TDR to the interested builder which he can sell in the market
The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development (MHADA) has floated a tender on Monday, calling for developers to construct the 26,959 tenements at an estimated cost of Rs 3,500 crore. This time, MHADA will not reimburse the builder, but hand over Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) in lieu of the construction of the tenements.
The state government in August, allowed MHADA to construct houses for the slum dwellers and tribals living inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The bidder has to quote the minimum TDR in lieu of the entire construction of 26,959 tenements of 300 square feet carpet area. The lowest bidder will get the project. For instance, if the builder constructs one sq foot, he will get a TDR of one. Therefore, whoever bids below one, 0.8TDR, 0.9 TDR, 0.7TDR the bidding of 0.7 TDR quotation will be considered as the lowest.
MHADA would provide row houses to 2,000 tribals of SGNP across 43 acres of land. Each house meant for the tribals will consist of of 300 sq.ft carpet area, with a ground plus one structure. They will be given an individual terrace-open-to-sky courtyard. The 24,959 houses for non-tribals (slum dwellers) will be constructed on land measuring 47 acres, will be a multi-storeyed building.
The selected bidder will have to complete the project within four years. Besides this, the appointed agency has to get the approval of structural analysis and designs for the proposed buildings from the Indian Institute of Technology -Bombay (IIT-B) and Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai (VJTI) and will also have to obtain all necessary permissions, No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and completion certificates from all concerned agencies.
MHADA has received data of the number of tribals and non-tribals residing in the SGNP and has drawn a plan to construct 26,959 houses. A MHADA official claimed they still need more details. "In future, there are chances that the number of houses may increase. Right now data collection is on-going".
The tribals and non-tribals of SNGP have demanded they be treated as Project Affected Persons. The chief conservator forest official Anwar Ahmed said, "The move to shift these families is following the directions the Bombay High Court had passed earlier. The national park has to be protected and this will help fulfil the aim. The rehabilitation plans will be as per this order".
The activists have slammed the government for bringing development to the forest and especially tribal areas in Aarey. "We have been opposing this move, as it is also a violation of the Prevention of Atrocities act. Since the adivsais are being evicted from their homes, who are rooted to the forests. We are not scared of the predatory animals, as much as the government, which has termed the national park as a non-forest," said Vithal Lad of Kashtakari Shetkari Sanghatana and Shramik Mukti Andolan.