In Brief
Over 800 slum dwellers who own land in Santacruz, Mumbai through a cooperative society appointed Susme Builders to rehabilitate their settlement in 1986. Despite obtaining planning permissions and constructing two buildings, Susme delayed the project for 30 years without completing it. The Society later engaged J.G. Developers by promising larger flats, but this was done through false assurances unsanctioned by authorities. The Supreme Court held that both developers failed to obtain the mandatory 70% consent of slum dwellers and were thus ineligible. Susme was responsible for unjustified delay; J.G. Developers obtained consent fraudulently. The Court directed the SRA to invite fresh competitive bids from qualified developers with stringent performance guarantees, ensuring terms at least as favourable as previously offered to the long-suffering slum dwellers."
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