representative image Mumbai, Slum Rehabilitation Authority ,SRA) Authorities, with the help of local police, have evicted 112 people living illegally friendly society In Andheri WestFor the last 10 years, the keys of the slum rehabilitation component flats in Juhu Gali have been handed over to the original eligible slum dwellers.
According to SRA officials, the buildings of the slum rehabilitation component were ready about a decade ago, but they were occupied by encroachers even before the flats were allotted to the eligible slum dwellers. The standard size for slum rehabilitation units is 300 square feet.
Local BJP MLA Ameet Satam, who has been pressurizing the SRA to evict illegal encroachers, said encroachers had taken over 112 flats in the Milansar SRA society around 2014. “The local political mafia was behind this illegal occupation of flats for their nefarious gains.
The original owners were rendered homeless and were living in miserable conditions without any financial support. The issue was taken up with SRA, police and other concerned agencies to ensure eviction of illegal occupants. Now, 112 flats are being handed over to their original owners,” Satam said.
Aftab Ahmed Khan, one of the victims of illegal occupation of SRA units, said he had approached Satam with his complaints. Khan said, “We were fighting without any solution. It was only after we approached Satam that things started moving forward at the government level. Satam continuously raised our issue and talked with the authorities.”
Last year, the Bombay High Court had said the time had come for the SRA and the state government to be given summary powers – even if “draconian” – to evict unauthorized occupants of SRA flats, as it had banned illegal transfers and “rehabilitation”. Concern was expressed over “trafficking in houses”. ,
According to a 2018 report, about 40% of SRA units were found to be occupied by illegal tenants. This survey was conducted by a committee headed by the then Additional Collector.
The committee surveyed 86,429 houses in various SRA buildings, of which 30,564 were prima facie found to be illegal occupants. An official claimed, “People often rent out the houses they get under the SRA scheme or sell the flats to a third person. In some cases, the local mafia forcibly takes over them and then Let’s give it on rent.”
