SRA dissolves tainted rehab housing society in Ghatkopar
A month after this paper exposed a slum rehabilitation scam at Ghatkopar’s Pankeshah Baba Dargah, the authority has decided to dissolve the housing society after it was revealed that its members created fake beneficiaries to acquire flats in the rehab structure.
The irregularities in this project has affected 160 families who were illegally termed ineligible. The entire project was mired in controversy after an inquiry revealed that nearly 115 occupants were housed on forged documents.
The deputy collector, who found out the forged documents, said that there are nearly 40 more people whose documents are still under the scanner. Around 160 families which were the original residents of the slum were termed ineligible for the rehabilitation scheme.
The authorities in connivance with the developer allegedly carried out irregularities in preparing the list of eligible beneficiaries.
The Free Press Journal had earlier reported that the members of the housing society in connivance with the developer and SRA officials bagged more flats by submitting fake documents which was approved.
Surprisingly, Parvez Khan, son of the chief promoter of the society, was allotted a flat on the basis of driving license as a proof of residence.
According to the residents, the chief promoters family has bagged nearly 8 flats in the building. “Unfortunately, an authority that is responsible for rehabilitating the original residents have given their flats to unauthorised occupants. We don’t know whom should we trust. However, the decision to dissolve this housing society has given us some hope in the justice system.”
Meanwhile, the developer had constructed another structure to shift rest of the slum dwellers which has developed huge cracks. Nasir Khan, resident of the slum, said that they had complained about the shoddy work in 2016 to the SRA.
“The officials even visited the site on our complaint and stated that the developer has used substandard materials to construct this building. However, despite issuing stop work notice to the developer, the officials let the developer continue with the ongoing work.”
The authority has issued a notice to the rehab structure stating that the fake beneficiaries will be evicted on August 22.
The Free Press Journal was the first to report that the shoddy project was bagged by Rockline constructions in which former SRA CEO Vishwas Patil’s wife is a shareholder. Reacting on our report, the state government has initiated an inquiry against the irregularities carried out in the project.
The rehabilitation project was mired in controversy after an inquiry revealed that nearly 115 occupants got flats on forged documents and 160 families were illegally termed ineligible