After MLA alleges Rs 2,000 crore scam, Maharashtra minister orders city-wide audit of tenement projects for project-affected people

Mumbai: Minister of state for urban development Madhuri Misal on Tuesday ordered an audit across Mumbai in one month to check whether developers who had availed additional FSI benefits in exchange for building tenements for project-affected people (PAP) as well as permanent transit camps (PTC) for the government, had actually done so and handed these over.Misal made the announcement in the assembly after BJP MLA Milind Kotecha alleged there was a Rs 2,000 crore scam in which the developers were building luxury flats instead of the tenements and selling these for hefty profit in the open market. The tenements are meant to be handed over to the SRA and BMC."There is a possibility of major corruption in this," said Misal.Misal said that after the audit, the state would hold a meeting led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. And criminal cases would be lodged against developers and officials found to be involved in this, she said.Kotecha alleged that developers had shown in-situ transit camps in their plans which were meant to be handed over to the government but built luxury apartments and commercial shops instead. "In Mulund alone, flats worth Rs 100 crores have been sold. Across Mumbai, the scam amounts to Rs 2,000 crores," he alleged.He alleged that one developer in Bandra had made Rs 360 crore through this modus operandi. "SRA officials have admitted to these irregularities but BMC officials are misleading the house. Shops have been sold after being shown as in-situ PTCs. Will BMC officials be suspended?" asked Kotecha.Misal said that stop-work notices had been issued to seven developers in Mulund and the sub-registrar would check if flats had been sold on the premises.Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut alleged that in one project the builder had constructed flats instead of the tenements and sold each for Rs 70-80 lakh. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu alleged, "There is major corruption in projects which are given additional FSI because they are constructed near DP roads."Misal said the audit was necessary because even if this was done, the builders did not return to the BMC to seek occupational certificates. Hence it was difficult to check if a new flat had been built and sold, she said.