The much awaited redevelopment of Dagdi Chawl at Byculla can only expedite once the validation of tenants ownership rights staying is achieved. Arun Dogare, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Mumbai Building Repairs and Redevelopment Board (MBRRB) told the Free Press Journal, "It is also necessary to validate the ownership rights of each residents who were shifted in transit houses provided by their board. Once all list is prepared the proposal can be send for further clearances".
Currently, the scrutiny of the ownership rights of tenants living in Dagdi Chawl is ongoing. Next turn will be of tenants living in transit houses at Borivali.
"There were total 10 chawls comprising four storeys each, of which two buildings had been demolished by the MBRRB after it was declared extremely dangerous a few years back. The residents of these two buildings shifted to this transit houses," Dongare explained.
Reportedly, at demolished building site which is now vacant piece of land, new transit buildings will be built in so all the tenants who are the beneficiaries can stay there until the project gets completed. Apart from allotting new houses to the chawl tenants, the board is supposed to get its share of houses in this project which will be sold out in open market via a lottery draw at affordable prices. A letter of intent (LOI) has been issued, Dongare asserted.
According to the plan, 40 storeyed two towers each will come up. It will have houses for the original tenants and the remaining will be saleable components.
Byculla's Dagdi Chawl is known for its famous resident, underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli, who is the owner of the sprawling property which is located in the heart of the city. Currently, Gawli is lodged in Nagpur Central Jail. His daughter Geeta Gawli stays in the chawl with her family. She was previously quoted saying, "Every tenant is happy and equally excited that they will get new houses. The buildings of Dagdi chawl have become old and needs to undergo immediate redevelopment."
