5 years on, man still waits for MHADA flat

A man who claims he won a flat through Maharashtra Area and Development Authority's (MHADA) lottery, is yet to get its possession, because another person who already has a house in Mumbai, has been allotted it. As per MHADA rules, a person who owns a house in Mumbai cannot apply for a house in its lottery.

The building at Versova where Gupta claims Hawaldar has been allotted the flat

Ved Prakash Gupta, a government employee told mid-day, that he was the first person on the waiting list for a flat at Scheme code no-238 in the MHADA lottery of 2010 at Versova. However, despite fighting for his rights, the authorities have not yet given him the flat, for which he claims he is the legitimate claimant. Gupta claims the Chief Officer of MHADA Board cancelled the allotment to the other person, but the authorities are not doing anything.

Gupta claims he has written to the Chief Minister for help

"Shahjahan Majid Abdul Hawaldar has cheated MHADA and falsely claimed flat no.1001/4-B under Scheme code no-238 in the MHADA lottery of 2010 at Versova. Hawaldar already has two flats in Mumbai in his name and I have provided all the proof regarding the same to MHADA. I had also registered a complaint about this with the vigilance department of MHADA in July 2014 and after my complaint, the chief vigilance officer and security officer had also verified all the documents, and enquired into the same, in which it came to light that Hawaldar had cheated MHADA by submitting false documents and deprived the real beneficiary from his rights," said Gupta.

‘Allotment was cancelled'
Gupta claimed the office of Chief Officer of MHADA in 2014 had also cancelled the allotment of the flat, as the person had cheated MHADA, and his office had instructed MHADA to register an FIR. But Hawaldar approached the City Civil court against MHADA.

"From past 5 years I have been running from pillar to post, and have been fighting for my right. I have also been running to the MHADA office spending my hard earned money while doing this. I am fighting for my rights on legal grounds. It has been proved that Hawaldar has cheated MHADA and so his allotment should be cancelled, and the flat should be handed over to me, as I am the first person on the waiting list," said Gupta. Gupta claimed he has written a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Housing Minister Prakash Mehta, and is expecting a solution to this problem.

Gupta also said, "After I registered the complaint with MHADA in the year 2014, Hawaldar approached the city civil court against MHADA, and there also the case was dismissed. After that, he approached the Bombay High Court. The High Court had instructed MHADA to look into the matter and take the final decision. The Chief Officer, MHADA Board had held a hearing on December 11, 2015 and passed an order on December 17, 2015 that Hawaldar's application and the allotment be cancelled. The order also states that the Estate Manager, Bandra West, should take action under Section 66 of MHADA Act 1976 and take the possession of the said flat immediately. It also mentioned that after taking possession, the said flat should be allotted immediately to me, the legitimate claimant."

Gupta alleged that few days back he met the officials at MHADA but they did not say anything.

‘Don't own flat in city'
Hawaldar said, "I would not like to comment as I am looking at more legal options. All I want to say is that I don't have any property in Mumbai and one flat that we own belongs to my parents. Another SRA flat that we had also belonged to my parents and I don't have any flat in my name."

Despite repeated attempts to contact him, S S Zende, CEO and MHADA vice-president was unavailable for comment.