MP: MLAs default on paying installments for flats booked

About 150 sitting and former legislators booked flats in a tower built to provide accommodation for MLAs, but even after years, 50 of them have not paid a single installment. The state Housing Board has now cancelled their allotments and returned the booking amount.

Bhopal: Around 50 sitting and former legislators people had booked apartments in a tower constructed to provide residences to MLAs of the state, but even after years, they have not deposited a single installment. Now, the Housing Board has cancelled the allotments and have returned the booking amount. This has happened despite the flats being sold at subsidised rates.

Due to lack of interest by the present and former MLAs, more than 150 flats in this tower of 368 flats could not be sold till now. Due to this, the construction agency, the state Housing Board, is burdened with a liability running into crores of rupees. Meanwhile, chairman of the committee constituted for the residences of MLAs and BJP MLA Yashpal Sisodia has called a review meeting October 4 on this matter.

The state Housing Board started work in 2012-13 for 368 luxury flats in Rachna Nagar, a prime location in the state capital. A total of 282 former and current MLAs had booked flats in the tower, but so far only 150 MLAs have registered the flats. About 168 houses of Rachna Tower are lying vacant due to lack of interest by the MLAs. About 50 current and former MLAs booked flats by paying the registration amount of Rs 3.50 lakh but after that did not pay a single installment. The Housing Board is now burdened with a liability of about Rs 19 crore.

The Housing Board has cancelled the allotments and returned the registration amount by deducting 5 percent from it. However, there are many MLAs who have deposited only a few installments. Sisodia said many MLAs have not paid the installments and over 150 flats in Rachna Tower are lying vacant.

Congress MLAs, who are usually vocal about every issue, are also silent about these flats. When Arif Masood was asked about this, he said that he would not say anything as he was not aware of this matter.

Following are the prices of the flats:

• 120 HIG flats - Rs 61.20 lakh120
• Senior MIG flats - Rs 58 Lakhs
• 80 Junior MIG flats - Rs 42 lakh
• 20 LIG flats - Rs 16 lakh
• 28 flats have been constructed for economically weaker section

The first rest house for MLAs in state capital Bhopal was opened July 20, 1958. It had 24 units. After this, residences of 270 new MLAs were built. Later three other family blocks were formed, in which 732 houses were built. For the first time in 1980-83, 45 MLA quarters were built at Jawahar Chowk. From 1990 to 1993, a residential complex was developed between Jawahar Chowk and Depot Square, in which 45 MLA quarters were made. In 2003, Riviera Town was developed on seven acres where 80 bungalows were built.