MHADA takes reins of redevelopment in its own hands

After being short-changed by builders, who delay projects and refuse to hand over its share of housing units, the development body decides to venture out on its own

Fed up of depending on builders to undertake redevelopment projects on its behalf, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has decided to venture out on its own.u00a0

Representation Pic

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The decision was taken during the authority meeting held at the Sahyadri State Guest House at Malabar Hill on Thursday, where the MHADA top brass reached a conclusion that it was in the best interest of the development authority and tenants that the MHADA redeveloped its dilapidated cess buildings. The proposal would now be forwarded to the ministers concerned for approval.

According to a senior MHADA official from the Repair and Reconstruction Board, there are nearly 22 projects that the development body intends to redevelop, which would yeild at least 3,500 housing units. “While most of the units would be used to house those in the waiting list (people evicted from dangerous building or rendered homeless after a collapse), the rest would be given to the lottery winners,” the official said.

Officials claimed that involvement of private developers in redeveloping MHADA buildings not only delayed a project, but the developers breached the agreement by not handing over MHADA’s share of houses after completion of the project. MiD DAY had highlighted in the past the development body’s grievance in a report published on October 20, 2011 (‘Builders walk over MHADA’s affordable dream’).

While MHADA lacked data about locations where the project would be implemented, a senior official said the project is most likely to commence in South and Central Mumbai, since most of the dilapidated cess buildings were located in those areas.

What is authority meeting?
It is an all-important meeting attended by head of various MHADA departments, along with the vice-president, to decide the future course of action.

22
Number of redevelopment projects MHADA intends to undertake

3,500
Number of housing units MHADA hopes to generate from the projects

16,000
Number of dilapidated MHADA buildings in South and Central Mumbai u00a0

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