Mumbai: Balkum Project Delay Continues, Winners Protest
Mumbai, 28th December 2022: The sub-contractor has stopped the work of the 17-storey parking garage in the Balkum project in the 2018 lot of Konkan Mandal of MHADA for the past few days. The parking lot was expected to be completed in December 2022. But it is still not finished. As a result, the possession of the houses has been delayed. The Konkan Mandal promised to give possession of the houses to the winners in March 2023. Now, as the work of the parking lot is closed, there is no possibility of getting possession of the house by March 2023.
In 2018, Konkan Mandal had drawn 9,018 houses. This draw included 125 houses in the housing project at Balkum. It also has 69 beneficiaries of a 2000 scheme of the Board. Accordingly, 197 winners will be given houses in the housing project at Balkum. Meanwhile, the board fixed the price of Rs 43,45,236 for these houses as per the draw. But suddenly, in August-September, the board directly increased the price by Rs 16 lakh and gave a big shock to the winners. Due to this increase, there is a big dispute between the winners and the board and this dispute is likely to go to court.
The burden of parking, water supply and metro cess has been added to the house price. As the winners are suffering from the mistake of the board, the winners are demanding cancellation of this increased amount. The Board is not ready to reverse this decision. The board has so far collected 25 per cent of the house amount from the winners and has instructed them to pay 50 per cent of the amount by 31st January 2023. The remaining 35 per cent will be paid after the building receives the occupancy certificate. Importantly, this amount is being paid by the winners by promising to hand over the houses in March 2023.
The residence certificate will not be issued by the Thane Municipal Corporation until the completion of the 17-storey three-parking garage in this project. So possession will not be obtained without obtaining the residence certificate. Meanwhile, the work on these parking lots was expected to be completed by the end of December. But still, approximately 30 per cent of the work of the parking lot is incomplete. Shockingly, this work has been completely closed for the past few days. A senior official on the board confirmed the news, and now the main contractor has appointed another subcontractor. The official also said the work will be started from the first week of January through a new subcontractor, and the work will be completed. It will take another two to three months to complete this work. Therefore, it is also clarified that it will not be possible to hand over the possession till March 2023, and the handover will be delayed.
MHADA has done an injustice to us by increasing the prices by 16 lakhs. Although the Konkan Mandal is not ready to cancel the decision in this regard, we are firm on this demand and are ready to go to court if necessary. Now that the work of the parking lot is closed, possession has been delayed. Overall, MHADA is adding to our problems,” a winner of the draw said.
