Mumbai: The Metro 3 line (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) has again embroiled in a new controversy. This time around, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) overseeing the Metro 3 line, has been accused of betraying residents of Thakurdwar, Girgaon. The MMRCL has allegedly taken a U-turn from its ‘assurance’ of rehabilitating the the residents. The assurance, according to some families, was given prior to signing a provisional agreement for alternative accommodations.
The families were residing in the Bodhanwadi property, especially, Suryamahal, Chandramahal and other buildings, which have now been razed by the MMRCL, paving the way for the Metro 3 line. The residents, who lived as tenants in the buildings for decades, are now feeling betrayed by the MMRCL, which initially assured them of rehabilitation in the same vicinity, at the authority’s cost.
Now, the MMRCL seems to have forgotten its own promise, allege residents, as the authority has changed its stance on the issue. The MMRCL now cites a legal dispute, which is being fought between these tenants and the original landlord, prior to the acquisition of the property by the authority for the project.
The residents said after signing the provisional agreement, the MMRCL has become the ‘sole owner’ of these property in question, and therefore, the litigation (between the tenants and the original landlord) is infructuous. However, acting contrarily to the assurance, the metro authority has allegedly given a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the erstwhile landlord to proceed with the litigation.
In its NOC, the MMRCL has assured the original owner, M/s Vasav Enterprises, that it will modify or terminate the provisional agreement, the authority signed with the tenants. It means, if the court now decides in favour of the landlord, then the tenants may face difficulties in getting the accommodation in the same vicinity, as promised by the MMRCL.
The aggrieved residents have written a letter to the MMRCL, requesting it to withdraw the NOC, as it would act against them (tenants). A copy of the letter is also in the possession of the Free Press Journal. They have claimed they will face hardships and would be in despair due to the NOC.
Such an NOC, as per the tenants, is prejudicing their case. “The MMRCL after making promises and giving assurances have indeed gone back on its word and is favouring the previous landlord despite being the sole owner of Bodhanwadi property. It needs to be investigated,” says Anand Deshpande, a tenant. He claimed the original landlord, has unnecessarily instituted the court matters, that too, only after learning of the Metro 3 project.
Another resident Preeti Chheda said the MMRCL NOC has provided a lifeline to the previous landlord to protract these cases and harass eligible tenants. “We are a middle-class family. The landlord, for his selfish greed to get new houses (due to Metro project) is troubling us. We have given our houses for this project. Why we should be made a scapegoat.”
“While in every periodic meet, the MMRCL had assured those, who are eligible as per the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), of providing a permanent accommodation in the same vicinity. But The NOC has made us a worried lot,” said Chheda.
The MMRCL has refuted the allegations of the tenants, saying the tenants and landlord are already embattled in a legal tangle. “We strongly oppose the allegation of betrayal, being levelled by the tenants. We have given rent to all the tenants, including those whose eligibility is disputed and is still subjudice before the court.
We further assured the tenants that even if the verdict goes against them, they will be rehabilitated under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) policy,” clarified MMRCL spokesperson. Despite several attempts, the Vasav Enterprises authority remained unavailable for comments.
