Implications serious for slum-dwellers: HC directs SRA to take immediate action to resolve situation

Bombay High Court has said the implications of non-payment of transit rent was serious for slum dwellers and ordered the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to take immediate action to resolve the situation. 

On Wednesday, a division bench made up of Justice Arif Doctor and Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar heard a public interest lawsuit brought by one Vijendra Rai about the non-payment of transit fee owed to slum inhabitants whose homes are undergoing renovated.

The bench noted that the SRA is a statutory authority entrusted with the task of ensuring that the redevelopment of slums is undertaken in an orderly manner and this would include transit rent to be duly paid to the eligible persons by the developers.

The implications of non-payment of transit rent are serious for the slum dwellers. SRA being the statutory body established for slum redevelopment should take proactive measures to ascertain whether the transit rent is being paid to the slum dwellers, the high court said.

Therefore, the SRA should set up a Nodal Officer and call for complaints from the cooperative societies of the slum dwellers if they have a grievance of non-payment of transit rent, the high court said. It further said that wide publicity should be given to this and after receiving complaints, the SRA should also indicate the action taken in them. 

Efforts should be made by the statutory authorities that the slum dwellers do not need to approach the courts of law with a grievance of non-payment of transit rent and this is why the SRA should take proactive measures, the high court said.