Mumbai, Aug 14
Maharashrra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday handed over 556 flats under the Worli BDD (Bombay Development Directorate) Chawl Redevelopment Project in Worli.
Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe, Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister Ashish Shelar, among others were also present.
"Today was a special day for the families who have been living in BDD Chawl in Worli for many generations. Before the distribution of flats in the two rehabilitation buildings, which have been completed in the first phase of the BDD Chawl redevelopment project, the building was inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. They also inspected the building and the flats," said a government release.
It further added that with the inauguration of two rehabilitation buildings it was a fulfilment of the dream of houses for BDD residents.
Under the Worli BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project, beneficiaries who are currently residing in 160-sqft rooms are being relocated to 2 BHK ownership flats of 500 sq. ft. carpet area, free of cost.
It was implemented by the MHADA's Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board. This is the first phase of the redevelopment project, which will ultimately rehabilitate 9,689 people from 121 old slums in Worli.
Flats that were handed over on Thursday are part of the D and E wings in Building No. 1. The remaining houses in the first phase will be handed over to the residents, also in a phased manner, said MHADA officials.
According to the state housing department, the BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project is one of yen major urban renewal initiatives.
The Worli project will rehabilitate 9,689 residents from 121 old chawls. MHADA has allocated 65 per cent of the total land for rehabilitation purposes. The plan includes 34 rehabilitation towers of 40 storeys each. Each flat will come with one parking space in the stilt plus six-level podium parking, and a landscaped eco-friendly garden being developed on the seventh-floor podium.
The BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project covers about 86 acres across Worli, N.M. Joshi Marg (Parel), and Naigaon in Mumbai, with a total of 207 chawls to be redeveloped and 15,593 residents to be rehabilitated.
The N.M. Joshi Marg project includes 2,560 residential and commercial units with 14 rehabilitation buildings under construction, while at Naigaon (Dadar), work is underway to build 20 rehabilitation buildings for 3,344 units, said the housing department sources.
— IANS
Reader Comments
My aunt used to live in one of these chawls. The living conditions were really bad with shared toilets and no proper ventilation. 160 sqft to 500 sqft is a huge upgrade! But I hope they've considered proper maintenance charges - many such projects fail because residents can't afford the upkeep.
Good initiative but why only 500 sqft? In today's times, even 2BHK should be minimum 650 sqft. Politicians making tall claims as usual. Also curious - how many flats actually went to original residents vs political connections?
As someone who works in urban planning, this is a model other Indian cities should follow. The inclusion of green spaces and parking shows proper planning. Though 40-storey towers might be challenging for elderly residents. Hope they've installed good elevators!
Finally some work getting done after years of promises! My friend's family got their flat today - they've been waiting since 2015. The emotional scenes at the handover ceremony were heartwarming. This is real development, not just empty speeches.
Hope they maintain the community feeling that chawls are famous for. High-rises often make people more isolated. Also concerned about water supply - Mumbai already faces shortages. 34 towers of 40 floors each means thousands of new residents in one area. Infrastructure ready?
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