Navi Mumbai's 3,260 Simplex Families Get Redevelopment Hope As Maharashtra Govt Directs NMMC To Process Stalled Projects

Navi Mumbai: As many as 3,260 families living in the Simplex settlement in Ghansoli have heaved a sigh of relief after the Maharashtra Urban Development Department (UDD), headed by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, directed the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to process pending cluster redevelopment proposals, bringing hope to residents who have been caught in the political tussle between Shinde and BJP minister Ganesh Naik.

The state department has directed the civic body to process five cluster redevelopment proposals in Ghansoli and Vashi, stating that projects already notified in the government gazette or pending before the high-powered committee cannot be stalled through a general body resolution. The proposals will, however, require further scrutiny and final approval from the state government.

Cramped homes leave families struggling

For the Simplex residents, the decision offers hope of moving out of cramped one-room homes allotted to them by CIDCO in 2004. The project was established by CIDCO in 2004 for Mathadi workers. With families growing over the past two decades, residents say the existing accommodation is no longer sufficient, forcing married sons to move out and families to split.

Macchindra Kanse, former president of the Simplex settlement, said the families had been living in 1-RK flats measuring around 150 square feet since 2004 and were eagerly awaiting the promised larger homes.

“We got these flats in 2004, and since then our families have grown. We simply do not have enough space anymore. Because of the political tussle, we are the ones suffering. We have been promised flats measuring a little over 500 square feet, and we are eagerly looking forward to them,” Kanse said.

Residents appeal for redevelopment support

The Simplex settlement comprises seven housing societies in Ghansoli, with thousands of residents hoping that redevelopment will finally address their long-standing housing concerns.

Prakash Chavan, a committee member of one of the societies, said the lack of space had affected the structure of families, with newly married couples often having to move elsewhere.

“Every time a son in a family gets married, he has to shift to another house because there is no space to accommodate the growing family. This results in families being separated. We appeal to all political parties to keep their egos aside and support the redevelopment project in the interest of residents,” Chavan said.

Residents recall early housing challenges

Recalling the circumstances under which the flats were allotted, Chavan said CIDCO had provided the homes in Ghansoli in 2004, when the node was still struggling to attract residents.

“Back then, nobody wanted to live in Ghansoli. Former minister R R Patil had attended the inauguration and told CIDCO to develop the node for the people who had been allotted homes here. The area was heavily polluted due to chemical gases, and the nullahs remain polluted even today. Politicians have assured us that a solution will be found to these problems as well,” he said.

Shinde-Naik tussle over cluster redevelopment

The redevelopment issue has become a flashpoint between Shinde's Shiv Sena and the BJP in Navi Mumbai, where Naik has wielded considerable political influence for decades. In August, the NMMC general body, dominated by the BJP, had voted to suspend all Urban Renewal Scheme projects, commonly known as cluster redevelopment, until their impact on civic infrastructure was scientifically assessed.

Naik has opposed what he has described as indiscriminate cluster redevelopment, warning that higher floor space index (FSI) and increased population could put additional pressure on roads, water supply and parking facilities. Shinde, meanwhile, has argued that residents living in old and cramped buildings deserve better housing.

State intervention revives redevelopment hopes

The state department's intervention has revived hopes among Simplex residents, whose redevelopment proposal was among those affected by the civic body's decision. According to the order, the high-powered committee has approved three of the five proposals, including the Simplex settlement in Ghansoli and the JN-type colony in Vashi Sector 9.

The department has also stressed that the age and dilapidated condition of several buildings make prolonged delays a potential safety risk. At the same time, the NMMC has been directed to assess infrastructure capacity and environmental impact, with future proposals to be examined for their effect on civic amenities.

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Political differences persist over scheme

While residents have welcomed the decision, the political disagreement over the scheme continues. There is speculation in local political circles that the opposition to redevelopment in Ghansoli is also linked to the BJP's political calculations in the node, where Naik's party does not have corporators in power.

For the 3,260 Simplex families, the immediate priority is not the political contest but the prospect of larger homes after more than two decades of living in cramped conditions.

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