Mhada to soon get approval to regularise 8,000 encroachers

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) will soon get a nod from the state government to regularise approximately 8,450 encroachers residing in the 56 transit camps of Mhada. It will charge a premium to illegal tenements, which is said to generate revenue for the housing body.

“The move will also fulfil the state government’s promise to ‘Housing For All’ by 2022. Also, because of this illegal tenements redevelopment of various transit camps have been stuck because Mhada is not able to know the legality of their existence. Out of the 56 transit camps we have already received proposals for redeveloping 11 transit camps. However, we will not regularise those encroachers who have no documents at all and have simply encroached by committing house-breaking,” said Sumant Bhange, chief executive officer Mhada’s repair and redevelopment board.

However, civic acitvist Chandrashekhar Prabhu said, “By such a move the state government is promoting the illegal activities of trespassing and encroaching. It is in a way taking away the rights of legitimate tenements of 16,000 dilapidated buildings in the city who deserve to reside in those transit camps.”