Builder loses right to redevelop slum under SRA

The Lokhandwala Developer may lose the right to redevelop 2,85,000 sq m of Saibaba Nagar slum redevelopment project at Saat Rasta in Mumbai Central. Reason: the developer has failed to obtain the consent of 70% people in the secret ballot on Thursday.

As per the Bombay High Court directive, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) had conducted the secret ballot to put an end to the controversy over the issue of people's consent. The developer had claimed that he had the consent of more than 70% people for the project. However, the residents had denied it.

Out of 1,157 eligible families in the SRA project, only 631 came out to cast their votes. While 348 votes were in favour of the developer, 269 were against it and 14 were rejected.
"Lokhadwala Developer got the consent of only 55% (votes share) people. Now, it has no right to redevelop our area," said Rupesh Patil, president of Saibaba Nagar Vikas
Co-operative Society.

He alleged that earlier, while obtaining annexure-two, the developer had forged signatures of the people to show that he had 70% consent. "We challenged these signatures and presented the real side to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. Chavan appointed a special investigation team (SIT) to find out the truth. We also went to the high court and won the battle," Patil added.

When contacted, Ali Lokhandwala, director of Lokhandwala Developer, told dna that they got a majority of the votes in the secrete ballot. "We got 348 out of 631 votes. Earlier, in 2011, while obtaining the annexure-two from BMC and SRA, we submitted the consent of 74% families from Saibaba Nagar slum. So, we have full right to redevelop this area," claimed Lokhandwala.

Patil alleged that the developer threatened the people, and therefore, most of the families did not turn up to vote. "People are afraid. We cannot fight a big developer like Lokhandwala, who has the backing of political bigwigs. However, we want justice," he said.

The Saibaba Nagar Co-operative Housing Society had proposed the slum rehabilitation scheme in 2003. Since then, the project has mired in controversies over some reason or the other.
On March 12, the high court had asked SRA to carry out a secret ballot of the 1,571 families to decide whether or not they still support the developer.