Deed wall comes between MHADA residents & FSI benefits

The increase FSI of 2.5 is expected to generate over 500 homes of area between 400- 450 sq ft per hectare for Lower Income Group (LIG) along with 400 homes per hectare for Middle Income Group (MIG). It promises jogging tracks,libraries,gardens for residents. MHADA is in possession of about 15-20 acres in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad,which is expected to create 4,000 new homes.

“While there is no problem with new homes,benefits of redevelopment of old homes can be had only if conveyance deed is signed. As of now,the percentage of those who have signed it is miniscule. We are planning a drive by creating a group to urge residents to sign it. They will be guided on documents to be submitted for processing the deed,” said Dinesh Redkar,personal assistant to chief officer,MHADA.

Babu Nair,president of MHADA Housing Federation,Pimpri-Chinchwad,said residents should not be blamed. “Blame it on MHADA officials. They are not interested in clearing the deed. In Morwadi,over 500 flat owners submitted their papers two years back. MHADA officials have not cleared them.”

MHADA officials said the reason why people do not take the initiative to process the conveyance deed is lack of trust. “Not only that,many have not even completed the basic procedure of forming a society. Loans are made available through HUDCO,but many don’t pay installments once they get possession. After getting possession of homes,residents do not bother to come to MHADA office,until they face some problem,” said an official.

Calling this preposterous,Nair said it’s MHADA that is making it difficult for residents to get the conveyance deed. He said they held two meetings with MHADA officials requesting them to conduct a drive in Pimpri-Chinchwad so that residents can get their conveyance deed fast-tracked. “But MHADA officials showed no interest. Why would flat owners resist conveyance deed if it is in their interest entirely?” he asked. Nair said he himself got his conveyance deed only after a follow up for a full year. Geetaram Gade of Sankalp Cooperative Housing Society,Morwadi,said,“I submitted documents a year back. Yet I have no information as to what happened to my conveyance deed,” he said.

Many see increased FSI as a pro-builder decision. Ankush Kakade,chairman,MHADA said,“It is going to be more beneficial to those who have not signed the deed as we can start redevelopment on those plots immediately.” This is in contradiction to what MHADA website lists as a pre-requisite before considering redevelopment.