Long-time tenants turn landowners in Vadodara

Shantaben’s is not the only family to be benefitted. Waiting to grab the opportunity are over 600 families. Going by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) General Board’s recent resolution, those using the place for residential purposes would get it at Rs 40 per square feet. There would be a concession of 50 per cent for those belonging to Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and `Baxi Panch’. The VMC will recover Rs 100 per square feet on land being used for commercial purposes.

According to VMC’s Land and Estate Officer Bipin Shah, several years ago the land was alloted on a temporary basis to those who came in search of jobs. A majority ofthem belonged to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and worked as safai workers. Each of the beneficiaries was given a piece of land between 250 square feet and 500 square feet in size. Until two years ago, the VMC charged around Rs 50 as yearly rent, and then hiked it to around Rs 500.

Natubhai Chauhan wants possession so that he can construct an RCC slab. Once I get possession of the land, I can also avail a loan which is not possible at the moment, he says.

Chauhan’s son Yogesh dismisses fears that the residents could give away the land to some builder after the possession is granted. “It is prime land. We will just not hand it over to others,” he says. “We will not vacate this place even if someone pays us Rs 10 lakh,” says another beneficiary, Maru of Kathiyawadini Chali.

Shivuben Makwana of Navidharti-Mehtawadi says that currently they cannot make any additional constructions because of the fear that the VMC might bring it down. That some of the residents have made concrete structures and severalhouses have been transferred by the original tenants at a higher price is a different story altogether.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Administration) H S Patel says that the documents of the land would be non-transferable. In case a person wants to sell the property, he would be required to take the VMC’s permission, and the person purchasing the property would have to pay the market value. BJP councillor Shobhana Rana says that the VMC’s decision is a boon for these residents who have been staying as tenants for a long period of time.

More than earning revenue, the VMC’s purpose is to curtail the administrative processes involved in recovering the rent, says Patel.