Tenants' associations in the island city on Thursday gave a 15-day ultimatum to the state government to withdraw its proposal to allow landlords to charge rents at market rates. The BJP-led government's move is politically explosive as it will affect at least five lakh people. Several party leaders have voiced their opposition and have accused some bureaucrats of pushing the proposal behind their backs. The tenants are protected under the Rent Control Act. Landlords say the result is that they hardly get any money to maintain their properties. Tenants say if a new law comes in, it will force thousands of families to shift their residences and businesses. “If the government fails to withdraw the draft proposal, we will come out on the streets to fight against the move,“ said a tenant at a meeting of residents and traders on Thursday . Leaders cutting across party lines, such as the BJP's Raj Purohit, the Congress's Amin Patel and independent corporator Makrand Narvekar attended the meeting.The government has proposed an amendment to the Rent Control Act that will eventually deprive all commercial establish ments occupying more than 46.5 sq m of the existing rental protection. For residential tenants, the area is 80 sq m. This, tenants and experts say , would increase rents 300-500 times. “The fear is that once the amendment is made, even those occupying premises of area less than 46.5 and 80 sq m will eventually be deprived of their protection as then such discrimination based on area may not stand in a court of law,“ said town planning expert Chandrashekhar Prabhu. The amendment allows only those in the LIG, MIG and EWS categories to enjoy rental protection. Prabhu said it will also result in inflation: not only affected tenants in Mumbai, but also others would have to pay more, since high rent-paying traders will increase the cost of goods and food items
source TOI
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