Govt orders probe into MHADA housing projects

After the Uddhav Thackeray-led coalition took over the reins, Radhakrishna  Vikhe-Patil had raised a demand for the commissioning of the inquiry yet again as an Opposition legislator. (File)

The state government has ordered a probe into complaints of inferior quality of affordable homes under MHADA schemes.

According to a recent order issued by the state’s housing department, a high-level committee, headed by a deputy secretary-level official and comprising the chief engineers of both MHADA and Slum Rehabilitation Authority and the head of structural engineering department of VJTI, has been set up to probe the quality of houses provided under both completed and ongoing schemes by a prominent contractor.

The contractor, who is a big player in the infrastructure industry, had enjoyed a monopoly on construction of government housing projects until recently.

Former state housing minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, sources said, had first ordered an inquiry into complaints of inferior quality construction and violation of certain norms in these projects.

After the Uddhav Thackeray-led coalition took over the reins, Vikhe-Patil had raised a demand for the commissioning of the inquiry yet again as an Opposition legislator.