15-year wait ends for Patra Chawl residents: MHADA conducts lottery to allot houses to 663 members

Even though the possession process has commenced, the rent compensation will continue to be provided to all members until May, MHADA said. Representational pic

The long-standing wait of nearly 15 years for residents of the Siddharth Nagar Co-operative Housing Society (Patra Chawl) in Goregaon (West) in Mumbai has finally come to an end. A computerised lottery draw was successfully conducted on Friday by the Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board of MHADA for allotting rehabilitation tenements to 663 eligible members under the redevelopment project located on Plot No R-9.

The lottery was held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Hall in Goregaon (West) under the chairmanship of Milind Borikar, the Chief Officer of MHADA's Mumbai Board.

Through the Randomised Allotment of Tenement (RAT) computerised system, eligible members were allotted the number of their rehab tenement, including details such as building number, wing, and floor.

Speaking on the occasion, Borikar emphasised that MHADA's computerised lottery system is highly transparent and free from any human interference. Being a government undertaking, MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) strictly follows the prescribed procedures and government-approved methods for allotment, he added.

While sharing the further project details, Borikar stated that based on the demands of the society, MHADA's Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sanjeev Jaiswal, has approved the installation of a solar power system for the housing society, and the planning for the project is currently underway. In addition to this, MHADA will also provide gym equipment for the society's fitness centre.

The project received an Occupancy Certificate (OC) on Tuesday. Although the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) mandate 412 parking spaces, the board has arranged for a total of 686 parking spots, ensuring one dedicated parking space per tenement.

Borikar also announced that if beneficiaries require any structural repairs within one year of taking possession, MHADA will ensure such services are provided free of cost through appointed contractors. He further informed that even though the possession process has commenced, the rent compensation will continue to be provided to all members until May. Since January 2018, the housing body has disbursed Rs 129 crore as rent compensation to eligible members.

Following the conclusion of the lottery, the results were displayed on the notice boards outside the venue. MHADA said it will also be made available on its official website (mhada.gov.in).

All the 663 beneficiaries whose names were declared in the lottery will receive their possession letters and keys from April 7 from the office of the Executive Engineer, Goregaon Division at MHADA's headquarters in Bandra (East). The beneficiaries will have to present a valid government identity card, such as Aadhaar Card, for the handover process.