Recently, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) procured 450 PAP houses from the builders within six months. SRA is a government body that has been granted the responsibility to provide the slum-dwellers with flats after demolishing the slums. Some of these houses belong to the slum dwellers before 2002 and as per the regulations, the slums after 2002 are not considered legal. The people under this category are termed as PAPs.
The procedure for rehabilitation begins with SRA directing the builders to build houses as per the requirements. As per SRA regulations, the houses are supposed to be returned to the housing authority after the builder has finished its work. However, in several cases, it was seen that the houses meant for PAPs were not returned to SRA by the builder and had been given on rent. Therefore, SRA has formulated a separate body to overlook the same, i.e. Estate Department.
The procured houses will be provided to the Project Affected People (PAP) accordingly.
Initially, the rehabilitation authority did not have a separate entity to look after the issue but eight months ago, SRA formed the Estate Department. After which, the department was given the responsibility to look after the distribution, management and overlooking of the houses.
Till now, the special cell has retrieved 450 houses from the builders. The builders that were showing passiveness towards complying with the regulations, were booked under the MRTP Act and accordingly, action was taken against them.