Dream homes for Marathi manoos only

After political parties, now even private builders want to give preference to buyers who are sons of the soil

First the good news, for those looking to buy their dream home in Mumbai. Builders are offering flats in the best locations, with state-of-the-art amenities, and even at subsidised rates. The bad news: the offer is for the Marathi manoos only. After a year-long political campaign demanding 80 per cent reservations for Marathis in MHADA flats, Marathi builders have begun toeing the same line.u00a0



In fact, the Maharashtra Builders Association (MBA), a forum exclusively for Marathi builders, has already begun meetings to chalk-out plans of offering preference to Marathi buyers. Some builders have even demanded that flats be offered to the Marathi manoos at subsidised rates.

Suresh Haware, president, MBA and owner of Haware builders, said, "I don't find anything wrong in giving preference to the Marathi manoos. Where will our people go to buy a house? They can't go to Uttar Pradesh to buy an apartment."

Mohan Deshmukh, former president, Maharashtra Chamber of Housing and Industry (MCHI) agreed with Haware. He said, "Why should private builders not give preference to the Marathi manoos?"

While some builders are content with offering preference to the Marathi buyer, others want to go a step further and offer flats at subsidised rates to lure the community. Sunil Mantri of Mantri group and vice-president, MCHI, said, "The Marathi manoos who has stayed in the city, and is the local, should be given priority. I suggest subsidised rates be offered to them."

His concern was echoed by Shailesh Puranik of Puranik builders, who feels that the Marathi manoos is interested in properties developed by Marathi builders. He said, "Being Maharashtrian developers, most of our buyers are Marathis. In all my projects Marathis occupy a huge chunk. And if it is accepted, I will abide by it."

It's a business

However, some builders still think caste or community colours should not be mixed with business. Rajendra Sawant of Nirman Group kept it straight. "It's a business. Anyone who can afford our flats is welcome to buy them. It can be a Marathi manoos or anyone else."

Even Dr Akhtar Rizvi of Rizvi builders said that such priorities should be kept aside in business. "I don't subscribe to this ideology of builders giving community preferences to buyers. In business there is no space for such things," said Rizvi. He added that the move is politically inclined as the elections are nearing. Abhinandan Lodha from Lodha Builders said, "I would not like to comment on the preferential treatment, but I think locals are being preferred by builders, especially in the suburbs.''

Reservation, our birthright
Since the forms for the 3,863 MHADA flats went on sale last week, political parties like the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) started demanding reservations for Maharashtrians. Shiv Sena demanded 80 per cent reservations in the MHADA flats for the Marathi manoos in the party mouthpiece, Saamna. In January last year too, there was a similar demand by the party.

Projects by Marathi builders
Marathi builders have their projects in Vile Parle, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Dadar, Prabhadevi, Thakurdwar, Lalbaug, Mulund, Kalwa and extended in the far suburbs of central and Navi Mumbai. Certain buildings made by Marathi builders also stand tall in Cuffe Parade and other parts of South Mumbai.