Mumbai: SRA authorizes HODs to attend to grievances of slum dwellers

To resolve petty matters of slum dwellers, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has asked all Heads of the Departments (DODs) to attend grievances each one rotationally six days a week.

CEO Satish Lokhande confirmed and said that he cannot attend to all matters. "Now the issues will be first attended to by these HODs. They will filter it and only the serious ones will come to my table for assistance if any," he asserted.

According to the SRA, this move will also help expedite the process of redevelopment projects which are usually impeded due to some differences between the slum dwellers and builders.

Another official said that in several SRA schemes, the common complaint is that the involved ones have some vested interest, further delaying the project due to complications and misunderstanding, among other reasons. "If grievances are listened to, these all issues can be averted further expediting the redevelopment."

Over 500 slum redevelopment projects are stuck in Mumbai for various reasons including lack of funds. The HODs every day at 3 pm in the SRA Bandra office are available to attend to the grievances of slum dwellers and others.

Meanwhile, the SRA has recently called for expression of Interest from financiers who have invested in SRA projects but the said project is stuck due to the developer's fault. Therefore, SRA has asked such financers to come forward and become co-developer/co-leader so these stuck projects can be taken up giving permanent houses to the affected tenants who have been waiting for a long time.