Air India employees still homeless,CIDCO fails to issue NOC

Mumbai, Sep 18: 400 Air India employees are homeless as CIDCO failed to provide them 'No Objection Certificate' for their flats in Nerul.

Air India employees are caught in a web of red-tapeism. Air India completed its construction in 2004 but the employers are still waiting to take the possession of their flats. The condition of the flats are deteriorating and miscreants are stealing the doors and taps from the flats.

In February 2011, the Bombay High Court ordered City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd. (CIDCO) to issue 'No Objection Certificates' (NOC) to the Air India employees,but again CIDCO failed to provide them 'No Objection Certificate' and blamed Air India for the delay.

Sanjay Bramhane, president of Air India Employees Welfare Association has been quoted as saying,"After the High Court's order we paid the full amount to Air India, whereupon CIDCO should have issued NOCs, so that we could form our society and get possession of our flats. However, the corporation has not issued the NOCs citing irregularities in the documents that we have submitted. All our documents are complete, and CIDCO is dilly-dallying."

The same case happened in 2008, when Air India asked CIDCO to issue 'No Objection Certificate'for 512 flats. CIDCO failed to issue the required NOCs, ultimately the employees of Air India went to the High Court.

Suresh Babu, manager, Town Services, CIDCO has been quoted as saying,"According to the New Bombay Land Disposal Act, a party has to construct not less than 50 per cent of total land allotted to the party in four years. However, Air India used only 3.4 of the 10 hectares, which does not fulfill the requirement for issuing NOCs.

He added, We have not received the additional lease premium from Air India as the ordered by the High Court. Further, as per the Act, one has to be a domicile of Maharashtra and not have more than two children, to receive an NOC. This is making issuing of NOCs difficult for us."

Chandan Sonkar has been quoted as saying,"We are laypersons and do not know the complexities of the law. Why should we suffer because of the authorities' mistakes? If we were not eligible for the housing scheme, why were the flats sold to us?"

OneIndia News