Mira Bhayandar: Despite getting BSUP flats, 160 slum dwellers yet to vacate transit homes

In a shocking revelation, around 160 out of the 195 actual beneficiaries of flats under the Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) in Kashimira have continued to occupy the temporary transit accommodation, despite repeated warnings and notices served by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).

To enhance the living standards of the urban poor, the MBMC had identified two slum clusters -- Janta Nagar and Kranti Nagar – to construct 4,136 housing units with a carpet area of 279 sq.ft. per unit in 2009. However, due to inordinate delays the central government reduced the number of units from 4,136 to 2,160. While the present work order envisages construction of 960 flats in three 16-storey towers, 1021 flats are in the middle stage of construction out of which 294 units were recently completed and 195 beneficiaries have taken possession of the units so far.

However, only 35 people have vacated their tenements in the temporary transit camp and handed over the keys to the MBMC, while the remaining are reluctant to do so. After appeals and notices failed, the public work department has now sought police protection to launch a drive to evict the transit homes.

“It’s the duty of those who have been allotted flats under the BSUP scheme to vacate the transit homes and avoid unnecessary confrontation. After all, the transit homes will be useful for people like them who are still waiting for their dream homes,” said Mayor Jyotsna Hasnale.

It has also come to light that several of the beneficiaries have rented out the tenements to anti-social elements to earn an extra buck. This despite clear rules disallowing beneficiaries from selling or renting out transit homes. Some have reportedly sold off their flats by executing memorandums of understanding with the help of unscrupulous real estate agents, exposing the widespread practice of illegal tenancy and sale transit flats built under rehabilitation schemes to accommodate beneficiaries.