Mira-Bhayandar: A delegation comprising senior officials from the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) led by legislators- Pratap Sarnaik and Geeta Jain met newly appointed commissioner of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to discuss various issues mainly- disbursal of funds for the lingering Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) housing project in Kashimira and ongoing work of the Metro Rail (line 9).
Launched in 2009, the BSUP aimed at enhancing the living standards of the urban poor, has scripted history of sorts by missing multiple deadlines as thousands of displaced slum dwellers are staring at an uncertain future for the past more than a decade. The looming overheads- especially dues of contractors have adversely impacted the speed of construction to complete the multi-storeyed towers buildings and rehabilitate slum dwellers.
MBMC complains about receiving less funds for project
After unsuccessfully exploring options to merge the project with the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana, the cash strapped MBMC had approached the MMRDA to bail them out with a loan to complete the project. Following the intervention of chief minister- Eknath Shinde, the MMRDA complied and gave its nod to pump funds amounting ₹150 crore. However, the MBMC claims to have received only ₹40 crore so far.
MMRDA chief prompts aggrieved party to do the needful
The MBMC had identified two slum clusters -- Janta Nagar and Kranti Nagar – to construct 4,136 housing units with a carpet area of 279 sq.ft. per unit in 2009. However, due to inordinate delays the central government reduced the number of units from 4,136 to 2,160. Ironically, only 473 slum dwellers have been rehabilitated in the lingering project as thousands of other eligible beneficiaries continue to live in transit accommodations. The delegation also discussed issues including- speeding up the tendering process of relocating the proposed car shed to government-owned vacant land parcels in Uttan, increasing the speed and repairing roads battered due to ongoing Metro Rail work. “The MMRDA chief patiently heard our grievances and demands while assuring us to do the needful in a time bound manner.” said Sarnaik.
