MUMBAI: After languishing for two decades, a prominent Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA) initiative in Andheri (West) is set to see renewed progress, following a state government directive for a fresh evaluation of eligible slum dwellers. This move comes as part of a broader effort to address longstanding issues and accelerate redevelopment.
The Basera SRA CHS project, which has faced numerous delays and complications, was previously mired in controversy over discrepancies in the list of eligible beneficiaries. The SRA has recently terminated its contract with the developer appointed for this project, as stipulated under Section 13(2) of the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act. This decision follows a critical report that identified several flaws in the previous surveys and eligibility assessments.
The developer had submitted an Annexure II, detailing a list of 766 slum dwellers deemed eligible for the project. However, significant opposition arose from the local community, challenging the validity of this list. The state government’s report uncovered several irregularities, including the inclusion of deceased individuals, transactions involving property sales, and fraudulent entries. Consequently, the SRA declared the existing scheme null and void as of July 2024.
The SRA’s recent order explicitly terminates the involvement of EM-EL Ashok Enterprises as the developer for Basera SRA CHS and allows the project to seek a new developer in alignment with SRA policies and regulations. This action is aimed at rectifying the previous anomalies and ensuring a more accurate and fair redevelopment process. In 2019, residents raised concerns about irregularities in the eligibility list, prompting intervention from legislators and subsequent scrutiny by the SRA. A fresh biometric survey conducted in November 2019 and published in March 2020 revealed multiple discrepancies, reinforcing the need for a complete overhaul of the eligibility criteria.
