RELIEF FOR BUYERS Now, pay for Mhada flat on possession

Mumbai: There is some good news for prospective Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) flat buyers with the authority having relaxed payment rules. 

    Now, prospective lottery winners of the 1,259 flats to be auctioned byMhada on May 31, do not have to pay total flat cost till the housing body gives the buyer possession of the flat. 
    Chief officer of Mhada's Mumbai board Niranjan Sudhanshu said, "The decision was taken so as to not burden buyers with paying their EMIs before possession. We will ask for the total flat cost after issuing them allotment letters, upon getting an occupation certificate from the civic body." 
    The decision came about following difficulties voiced by buyers aboutMhada delaying flats' possession by almost two years. They argued thatMhada would take the entire flat cost in two or three installments for under-construction flats, but would not give possession on the stipulated date. 
    "The delay in possession has put a strain on my finances. My husband and I started paying home loans a year back. It is only now that Mhada issued us an allotment letter. Imagine paying a monthly rent of Rs 20,000 and an EMI of Rs 30,000 simultaneously,'' said an aggrieved buyer, who, even after winning a high income group flat in Powai in the 2011 lottery, has been staying on rent in Goregaon. 
    After nearly two years, Mhada recently handed over possession of about 390 flats of 4,034 flats to 2011 lottery winners. 
    From the 2011 lottery, MHADA received occupation certificates and began allotment for 180 low-income group houses and 18 houses for economically weaker sections, in Mankhurd. In the high-income group, it has also started allotment of 110 houses in Powai, 28 in Dahisar and 55 in Magathane, Borivli.