Three housing societies in Mira-Bhayandar have decided not to charge maintenance during the lockdown period and two subsequent months.
The managing committee of Star Vrindavan Co-operative Housing Society, situated at Hyderi Chowk, Naya Nagar in Mira Road waived off the charges considering the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown on its residents. Currently, exemptions are in place from April and May for residents of the three wings of the seven-storey buildings with 12 shops.
“Citizens are already under tremendous stress. We did not want to extend this by asking them to incur additional expenses. Most of the residents don’t have a good financial condition as they are sitting at home during the lockdown. We can help them by waiving off the maintenance charges. So, we decided to do that. Charges are varying from flat to flat according to the areas,” said Zahid Kamal alias Ruhi, Secretary of the society.
“We have society funds, we will use that for these two months and if lockdown extended further then we will decide about the June month’s maintenance later,” said Mr Kamal.
Meanwhile, all common areas, gardens, and stairways are being sanitised once a week. “As the municipal corporation has allowed vendors to sell daily essentials inside the society during the total lockdown, we asked sellers to bring their carts inside the premises,” said Sayed Iqbal, society Chairman.
Iqbal said four security guards have been provided temporary living facilities in one of the wings where cooking amenities are available. Senior citizens living in the society have been asked not to leave their homes and volunteers are helping with their essentials, including medicines.
Bhayandar Societies’ initiative
Similarly, the Managing Committees of Sarvodaya Apartment Co-operative Housing Society, Narayan Nagar, and Joshi Niketan Co-operative Housing Society, Khau Gally, Bhayandar (West) also decided to waive off the three months maintenance (April to June) of its societies’ member.
“Most of the residents here are belongs to the lower middle class. They are struggling hard to keep pace with the day-to-day expenses in the on-going lockdown. Waiving off maintenance charges will bring at least some relief to them, its humanity,” said Shashi Sharma, Chairman of Joshi Niketan Cooperative Housing Society, at Khau Gally in Bhayandar (West).
The Managing Committee of Sarvodaya Apartment has also decided to waive off maintenance charges for three months (March to May). “By seeing the present situation, we committee members decided to give some relief to the residents here. So, we decided to waive off maintenances of the society, which can at least give some relief to them,” said Ushablal Chopra, Chairman of the society.
Appreciation
“Housing societies in Mira-Bhayandar have done an appreciable job. Every society should decide the same. The common man will get some help with this. I’m very much thankful for these societies,” said Mahendra Wankhede, Journalist, AM News.
