The Kadams, who were supposed to move to a row house in Kharghar, have been compelled to stay put in their rented flat at Juinagar and also cough up more rent. The renovation work in their new home has been temporarily stalled due to lack of construction material
Local Body Tax (LBT) has prompted people to scurry to grocery and medical stores to stock up their daily supplies.
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But the strike has compelled a Navi Mumbai- based family to stay without a home. It has played spoilsport for the Kadams who were supposed to move from their rented flat in Juinagar to their new row house in Kharghar on May 13.
Ganesh Kadam, his wife Sarika and one-and-a-half-year-old child have packed their bags but can’t move to their new house
The Kadams’ relocation plans have now been temporarily stalled as the interior work is in limbo, thanks to the nonavailability of construction material. Meanwhile, the landlord of the Juinagar flat has asked the family to vacate immediately or cough up an extra 15 per cent along with the regular rent.
Ganesh Kadam, a software engineer, and his wife Sarika have been staying in the Juinagar flat along with their one- and- a- half- year- old kid for the past three years. They purchased a re- sale flat in Kharghar recently and were keen on renovating it before moving in. “ We were redoing everything — right from flooring to painting, plumbing and electrical work — in our new home. The work had begun from first week of March. But then towards April- end, our interior designer, Rajesh Srivastava, informed us that it was getting difficult for him to get the necessary construction material as many shops had downed their shutters in protest of LBT,” said Kadam.
The interior work of the Kadams’ row house at Kharghar has been stalled due to the LBT strike. u00a0Pics/ Rakesh Karmokar
He added that they had even decided to make some furniture, including a wardrobe and modular kitchen, for their new home. But as plywood shops were shut, the workers could do little about it.
The Kadams have already packed their belongings and are ready to move out whenever their new home is ready. But the landlord of their present home has asked them to pay the entire rent if they stay for more days. “ The lease of the flat expired in March. I had already paid an additional rent of one month and 15 per cent excess charges. But now again I may have to extend the lease period considering that we may not be able to shift till May end if traders continue their strike,” Kadam explained.
Srivastava, meanwhile, has his own set of woes. He said, “ I feel bad that I haven’t been able to complete the work within the stipulated time. But then there is little I can do.
However, I still have to pay the labourers their wages irrespective whether they are working or not. I never thought that the LBT strike could affect all of us so much.”
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