Cessed bldgs: Panel suggests tough action

A committee formed by the state government for the redevelopment of cessed buildings has suggested that if a developer abandons a redevelopment project midway and isn't completing it, then the government may auction his other properties and use the funds to complete the project.

Ajay Choudhari, Shiv Sena MLA from Sewree and member of the committee said, "If a developer abandons the project midway, why should tenants suffer? His other properties should be attached, and it should be auctioned off. The funds can then be used to redevelop the property, and through Mhada it can be redeveloped."

The suggestions made by Choudhari and other members of the committee are with housing department right now.

There are more than 100 projects where redevelopment of cessed buildings by private developers, as allowed under Development Control Regulation 33 (7), are stuck owing to the delays caused by them.

Choudhari said that some tenants and residents had approached the High Court in a similar case of a developer abandoning the project. "In this case, the court had suggested auctioning off the other properties belonging to the developer to complete the project so then why not here," said Choudhari.