Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) is having a hard time in selling its inventory of affordable homes in Virar-Bolinj of over 15 22-storey towers. The the problem is water shortage, reportedly exacerbated by water tanker and private builder lobbies in Virar.
Earlier this year, MHADA launched a special allotment drive for houses on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, only 350 buyers showed interest in the lottery, leaving 1698 1BHK and 2BHK homes still awaiting buyers.
The board constructed over 9000 houses in Virar-Bolinj over the last eight years. Before the pandemic had set in, about 6000 homes were sold in the first phase, but the scheme garnered bad publicity after the first lot of buyers came to live here, who are still struggling with acute water shortage. They get their fill from private tankers, which pinches their pockets. Interestingly, other private societies in the area have adequate water supply, HT reported.
Hitendra Thakur, a local MLA and head of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), the party that has been in power in Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC), assured that there will be additional quota of water to the MHADA colony soon as the suburb will get its supply from Surya dam. He brushed away the allegation that the water tanker brigade was driving the scarcity. Every city in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) depends on water tankers. Vasai-Virar being close to Mumbai, Thane and Vapi has become the most favoured destination for lakhs of people, said Thakur.