Slum redevelopment projects are meant to give homes to slum dwellers. But when a builder acquires a slum for redevelopment, he’s expected to give rent to those slum dwellers till the home is redeveloped.
However, real estate developers of around 150 slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai owe ₹525 crore in rent to tenants who vacated their homes for slum rehabilitation projects, according to the state government data.
The Maharashtra government has said owing to the outstanding amount, developers involved in these projects will not be given any new slum rehabilitation projects. The data on outstanding rent was tabled in the ongoing budget session of Maharashtra.
The reply, by Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and housing minister, was tabled in the assembly on March 17 over a question by MLC, Prasad Lad. Fadnavis said, “In slum rehabilitation authority, a total of ₹647 crore rental amount was due for 150 projects.”
Fadnavis further added, “Of the ₹647 crore, ₹122 crore was collected from the developers of these 150 projects, and now there is outstanding of ₹525 crore. Due to this, no new projects will be given to real estate developers involved in these 150 slum rehabilitation projects.”
According to the Maharashtra Economic Survey 2022-23, since inception (1995) up to December 2022, 2,231 projects have been completed and 2,45,295 families residing in slums have been rehabilitated in these tenements.
Also Read: Slum Dwellers not cooperating in Redevelopment will be removed by this Govt Body