Mumbai: Nine applications were reviewed during the fifth Lokshahi Din conducted by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) on Monday. The Vice President and CEO of MHADA, Sanjeev Jaiswal personally heard the grievances of all the applicants and issued immediate instructions for taking prompt action on each complaint.
Of the nine applications received and heard, seven were related to the Mumbai Board, one pertained to the Mumbai Repairs and Reconstruction Board, while one was associated with the Pune Board.
One of the applicants, Surekha Kale had purchased a MHADA flat in 2007, with a portion of the total sale price remaining unpaid. Due to the non-payment of the outstanding amount over several years, MHADA imposed a late fee of Rs 7.5 lakh as interest on the remaining sale price. Kale requested a waiver of this late fee, and Jaiswal directed the concerned officials to examine the documents and explore options for waiving of the interest by preparing a proposal accordingly.
Another applicant, Hiren Mehta, a beneficiary of the 2014 flat lottery, took possession of a MHADA flat at Nakshatra Cooperative Housing Society, Dahisar East, in 2023 after the waitlist was activated. However, before taking possession, he was charged maintenance fees dating back to 2014. Mehta argued that it would be appropriate to charge the maintenance fees only from the date of possession of the flat.
In response, Jaiswal instructed the concerned officials to study the issue, considering similar complaints, and to prepare a fair proposal within the framework of the rules.
Expressing concern over the years of delay in resolving citizen issues due to the lack of policy decisions, Jaiswal emphasized the need for MHADA to adopt citizen-friendly policies that prioritize the convenience and welfare of the public.
Jaiswal also instructed the submission of a report on the actions taken on the applications received within the next 15 days. Additionally, he directed that any pending applications from the previous Lokshahi Din be resolved at the earliest.
