With the shutters down and no income for over three months due to the lockdown over COVID-19 pandemic, several businessmen took a massive blow, and appealed for a rent waiver. Even the state government had asked the owners of commercial and housing properties to provide relief to their tenants by deferring the rent collection.

A few people in Vasai heard the requests and have waived off lakhs in rents for those who could not afford. The proprietor of KT Builders, Rakesh Shah, has waived off more than Rs 80 lakh in rent for several of his properties in Vasai and Boisar.