432 pending redevelopment projects to be probed through SIT: Govt

Mumbai – There are 432 building redevelopment projects pending in the city from more than 10 years. The SIT will be formed to inquire into the delay in these projects and the permissions given to the developers of these buildings will be cancelled on the line of SRA, announced Ravindra Waikar, minister of state for housing, in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

The permission for redevelopment of dilapidated buildings in Mumbai and suburbs is given under section 33(7) of the Development Control Regulations. The MHADA provides additional FSI to such projects so that common people can afford to buy flats in such projects. Excluding 33 projects which are given NOCs, 432 projects in Mumbai are being given the FSI of 1,56,520.41 sqmt out of which MHADA has received only 31,319.79 sqmt construction till date.

Many real estate developers had taken over these projects and earned profits, took loans from financial institutes but did not start their projects. When they were expected to hand over 16 lakh sqft construction to the MHADA, it was not given. The estimated cost of this construction is around Rs 6000 crore.

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar had raised this issue in the Legislative Assembly. Shelar had alleged that Mumbai residents were being cheated by the builders. Replying to his query, Waikar agreed that many developers did not hand over the houses to MHADA and many such projects are still pending. Hence, the government will conduct an inquiry through the SIT in these cases and the permissions given to projects pending for more than 10 years will be cancelled, he announced.