Vadodara: No end to resettlement impasse of Sanjaynagar families
VADODARA: While the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) may be wanting to end the impasse regarding the rehabilitation of families ousted from Sanjaynagar in Warasiya and Sahakarnagar in Tandalja, the wait for new houses may get even longer for the 3,269 families.
In May 2017, 1,841 dwellings were razed in Sanjaynagar and that of 1,428 dwellings and 78 shops in Sahakarnagar was taken up in about a couple of months in July 2017. The drive was aimed to clear 1,45,987square metre (sqm) land in Sahakarnagar and 44,304sqm in Sanjaynagar.
But major complications came to light regarding the land itself as two land parcels in Sanjaynagar were not in possession of the VMC, while Sahakarnagar had a pond. Eventually, it was decided that the projects will be constructed leaving out around 6,503sqm land in Sanjaynagar and the pond measuring around 4,200sqm in Sahakarnagar. In Sahakarnagar, a margin of nine metres around the pond will also have to be left out.
VMC mayor Keyur Rokadiya recently announced that in case of Sanjaynagar, the realtor had agreed to construct an additional 307 houses for the project. The realtor was earlier supposed to construct 698 houses as premium for the civic body. On the other hand, the realtor in Sahakarnagar was offered three other alternate plots to compensate for the loss of land. He is to give Rs 4 crore as premium to civic body as per the original tender.
While any arrangement that ends the ordeal of the families may seem as a relief, that is still not the case. A proposal for the changes made in the Sanjaynagar project has been cleared, a fresh hiccup has now come to light regarding pending electricity bills of those ousted from the place. Rokadiya said that the bills will be paid by the developer.
“This came to light when the developer approached for a power connection to start work. It is a minor hiccup and will be taken care of,” said Rokadiya.
The new arrangement to resolve the complications over the pond in Sahakarnagar is still to be formalised. Sources said that the realtor developing the site and VMC were till recently discussing which adjacent plots should be given to the realtor. The VMC had decided to three plots and made the announcement, but the realtor was insisting on others. Rokadiya said that this issue too had been settled and a formal proposal will be made to the elected wing soon.
The two housing projects are to be developed under the public-private partnership mode under the Pradhan Mantri Aavas Yojana. The land that remained after constructing houses for those ousted at the site and other urban poor houses, if any, as premium was a free hold land for the builder that he could monetise.
Besides the hiccups that are still being sorted out, the wait for houses for the beneficiaries wil still be along one. The projects will take around 18 months in getting completed after work begins.