BDD chawls’ redevelopment plan gets MHADA push

“There is hardly any vacant land stock left with MHADA in Mumbai. Except for redevelopment of its existing colonies that will generate extra social housing stock, there is any no space for construction of affordable houses. If the housing board can take up reconstruction of BDD chawls, it will be able to build additional houses on the land. These can then be released through its annual draw of lots,” said a MHADA official.

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The 207 three-storey buildings were constructed by the Bombay Development Department (BDD) under the British government at a meagre cost of Rs 3.5 crore. The 160 sq ft run-down tenements, with a predominantly Maharashtrian population, are in Worli, Naigaon, Sewri and NM Joshi Marg. Together, these 80-year-old structures occupy 93 acres of prime land in the city.

Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Waikar, Minister of State for Housing, confirmed that the file had been placed before him and a decision would soon be taken on the matter.

“We could opt for the cluster redevelopment model under which, if residents opt for reconstruction through MHADA , they will get the benefit of larger homes. However a decision will be taken only after considering the interest of existing tenants and other factors such as MHADA’s capability and the need for affordable housing. We will consult various stakeholders,” said Waikar. At present, there are 16,000 tenements in the BDD chawls. The total rent paid by them to the PWD amounts to Rs 60 lakh every year. However, the PWD shells out 20 times that sum for annual maintenance of the chawls.

Ministry officials said the departments concerned, such as Finance and Planning, have conveyed to Waikar that the MHADA-led redevelopment would be a viable model which would not put any strain on the government coffers. In the meantime, MHADA has been asked to prepare a water-tight plan for the execution of the model which, once it receives ministry approval, would be placed before CM Devendra Fadnavis.

A 2009 report, by the World Bank-funded state government think tank Mumbai Transformation Support Unit, said at least 12,000 additional housing units can be constructed through the cluster redevelopment model. However, owing to differences within the previous Congress-NCP government, the project was stalled.

shalini.nair@expressindia.com