The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has transferred all 16 officials and employees in its Social Development Branch after an inspection found procedural lapses and unauthorised persons at the unit responsible for project-affected people (PAP) rehabilitation and housing matters.
The wholesale reshuffle followed a surprise inspection by MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee. The employees transferred include officials and staff across the branch, from the deputy collector to peons. The authority subsequently ordered a detailed review of the branch’s functioning and directed officials to strengthen administrative supervision and internal controls.
The Social Development Branch handles rehabilitation-related cases for people displaced or affected by major infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Its responsibilities include processing applications, maintaining records, scrutinising documents and forwarding eligible cases for further action before rehabilitation housing is allotted or other measures are undertaken.
The deputy collector handling PAP-related matters, including cases connected with Metro projects, has also been transferred as part of the administrative action. MMRDA has assigned fresh responsibilities to employees at different levels following the review of the branch.
The inspection identified the presence of unauthorised persons on the branch premises, according to the report. The finding prompted the authority to focus on tighter oversight of a unit that deals directly with sensitive rehabilitation claims and documentation submitted by project-affected families.
MMRDA has stressed the need for PAP-related processes to remain transparent, properly documented and free from intermediaries. The authority’s administrative restructuring is intended to establish clearer responsibility for handling applications, maintaining case records and processing claims.
Rehabilitation housing and related support are central to the implementation of infrastructure projects because affected households must be identified, assessed and processed before relocation or allotment measures can proceed. Any disruption or weakness in the handling of records and applications can affect the progress of individual cases, although MMRDA has not disclosed details of specific applications or families affected by the review.
The authority has not announced a separate timeline for completing the transfer process or provided details of disciplinary action against any individual employee. The immediate administrative steps are the transfer of the existing team, assignment of fresh responsibilities and continued review of the branch’s functioning.
MMRDA’s restructuring will now place the responsibility for PAP applications, documentation scrutiny, record maintenance and further case processing under the newly assigned officials and employees.
