4 days ago
Over 500 families get keys of flats under Worli BDD Chawl redevelopment project
Around 556 families got possession of their new houses under the BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project in Worli on Thursday. The key distribution ceremony took place in Mumbai in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and other ministers and top officers.
Under the scheme, beneficiaries who are currently residing in 160-sqft rooms are being relocated to 2 BHK ownership flats of 500 sqft carpet area, free of cost.
Spearheaded by Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board (MHADA), 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.
'This is the largest urban redevelopment project in Asia. Over 15,000 residents will receive new homes under the scheme. Around 3,500 homes are planned for distribution by the end of this year, with another 3,000 to be handed over next year,' said Aseem Gupta, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department.
The comprehensive scheme for Worli consists of 34 rehabilitation towers of 40 floors.
Each flat will have one parking facility in the stilt along with a six-level podium, and a seventh-floor podium landscaped garden. A self-sufficient township will be constructed with facilities such as a commercial complex, school, hospital, gymnasium, and hostel. Infrastructure facilities include sewage treatment plants, solar power supply systems, and rainwater harvesting.
'We aim to provide every eligible tenant with not only a house, but also a secure and well-designed living space. Today's handover is a significant start,' a senior MHADA officer said.
MHADA will maintain the buildings in good condition for 12 years, said the officers. 'MHADA is doing and has done a good job with their houses with quality construction, which do not feel like rehab projects, but like sellable houses. We are very sure that these houses would stand strong for the next 100 years,' said Eknath Shinde, who also holds the portfolios of Urban Development, Housing, and Public Works.
Some historical sites within the BDD areas such as Jamboree Maidan and Ambedkar Maidan, will not be touched, but one of the original chawl buildings will be left intact and turned into a museum to preserve the heritage of BDD chawls that were built during the British era.
By December, MHADA plans to complete over 3,500 flats in Worli, Naigaon, and N M Joshi Marg. The residents have been shifted to transit camps, with the provision of a monthly rent subsidy of Rs 25,000 for 11 months.
The BDD Chawl Redevelopment project, spread across 86 acres of land in Mumbai, will replace 207 chawls and give shelter to more than 15,000 residents. Naigaon redevelopment will have 20 rehabilitation buildings for 3,344 units, and N M Joshi Marg will have 14 buildings with 2,560 residential and commercial units.
