A flat in South Mumbai's plush Tardeo area is available on rent. You can stay in the flat for just Rs 64 per month. A stay in this 800 sq ft apartment at this rate should be a steal especially when it is located in Tardeo. Property prices in the area are upwards of Rs 60,000 per square foot.

But the flat is vacant for the last 11 years. Courtesy a special rule by a Trust.

RD Mahaluxmiwala Charity Building Trust is a Parsi community trust. The trust had made an agreement with the Mumbai Police in the 1940s saying that the flat can be allocated to a Parsi police officer only. But there is a problem.

There are only two police officers belonging to Parsi community currently in service with Mumbai Police. One is posted out of Mumbai while the other already has a flat.

Parsi community has had a significant role in the development of Mumbai and once members of the community were employed in large numbers in the local administration and the police. However, the population of Parsis has declined significantly now.

Mumbai Police is now working with the Trust to remove the mandatory provision of allocating the flat to a Parsi police officer. A large number of non-Parsi police officers have been applying for the flat but haven't been able to get it.