Pune, 23 August 2025: The Maharashtra Housing Department has put a temporary stop to the proposal of granting Transferable Development Rights (TDR) in exchange for land at Janata Vasahat, near Parvati foothills, after a major controversy erupted.
In a letter sent to the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), the department has instructed that no further action be taken until a detailed report is submitted. The report has been asked to clarify whether the area is officially declared as a slum rehabilitation zone, the exact nature of reserved and encroached land, and discrepancies in the valuation.
The issue surfaced when the land value was reportedly calculated at ₹39,650 per sq ft, despite the official Ready Reckoner rate being only ₹5,720 per sq ft. The Housing Department has also asked for a record of land rates from the past five years, as well as an explanation regarding media reports and complaints filed by developers working on similar projects.
Notably, this proposal had already been approved by the SRA and later forwarded to the Housing Department, which gave its final clearance. However, following public outcry, the department has now distanced itself and demanded a fresh inquiry. Critics have questioned why the officers who cleared the proposal earlier are not being held responsible or whether the approval will now be revoked.
The Janata Vasahat slum stretches across more than 40 acres, and under the proposal, the landowner was to be given TDR in return for handing over the land to the authority. The market value of this TDR was estimated to exceed ₹750 crore. Allegations have surfaced that several irregularities were ignored during the approval process, and similar proposals from other areas are also pending.
With growing opposition from builders working in rehabilitation zones, who argue that such deals violate existing rules, the controversy has forced the Housing Department to step back until the inquiry is complete.
