Seven years after the state authorities positioned into impact a revised lease policy wherein leases on its lands had been delivered on par with market quotes, 12 housing societies at Malabar Hill have moved the Bombay High Court insisting they’ll retain to pay the yearly lease of Rs 7 fixed for the reason that beyond 99 years in opposition to the authorities’ call for of around Rs 20 lakh according to society. Each of those societies additionally owes the state authorities over Rs 1 crore in the direction of exceptional lease arrears due to the fact 2012 while the revised lease policy became carried out.
The societies – Sujata CHS, Pavlova, Skylark, Paras, Avillion, Nishant, New Cosmopolitan, Manhar Oak, Little Gibbs, Monte, New Paradise, and New Cosmopolitan CHS Ltd – are placed in more than one lanes abutting the LD Ruparel Cross Marg. Each condo in those societies expenses more than Rs 10 crore, while a one BHK flat anywhere on Malabar Hill instructions a monthly hire of as a minimum Rs sixty-five,000.
Following notices via City Collector Shivajirao Jondhale to pay up or vacate the plots, the societies have demanded that their hire agreements be renewed for some other 99 years, that too on an annual lease of Rs 7.
Residents of these societies are among tenants in rankings of homes in Mumbai leased in the course of the British Raj at throwaway rents, who keep paying the same quantity many years after independence.
Amid demands that those tenants be made to pay the cutting-edge market rates (former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi had filed a public interest litigation that the government comfortable marketplace rent for its assets), the country government beneath Prithviraj Chavan delivered a revised hire policy in October 2012 wherein it expanded the once a year rent to two in keeping with cent of 25 in step with cent of the equipped reckoner prices. As in step with the revised policy, plots can simplest be leased for no longer greater than 30 years.
According to this policy, a leaseholder of 570 sq. Mt assets in Colaba, who changed into paying Rs 17 a year in the lease, will pay just over Rs three lakh. Similarly, rent on a three,000 square mt assets in Colaba extended from Rs 75 a yr to Rs 33 lakh.
Following an obvious uproar from tenants living in such residences and a spate of court instances, the country authorities also revised the lease to one in step with a cent of 25 consistent with a cent of the plot’s ready reckoner fee closing April, but a central authority resolution to this impact hasn’t been issued.
Jondhale advised Mumbai Mirror that he wasn’t worrying whatever greater from the 12 societies. “Those living in those societies live in flats well worth Rs 12 crore each and are combating over amounts which they could without problems afford. Residents of Byculla and Mazgaon have conveniently agreed to pay the revised rents,” he said.
The citizens have a unique tale to narrate. Pankaj Shah, chairman of Pavlova CHS, stated his society’s rent became renewed in 1982. “The settlement genuinely stated that all terms and conditions would continue to be the same. Suddenly in 2012, the government woke up and said this is inaccurate, now pay us lakhs of rupees in lease and arrears. The petitions of all 12 societies may be heard together inside the ultimate week of April,” he said.
Satish Choksi, treasurer of Avillion CHS, said not one of the dozen societies can pay up till the court delivers its verdict. “The hire of our society will expire most effective in 2081. At this juncture, we will now not pay anything extra,” he stated.
