Mumbai: The BDD Chawl redevelopment project, which has been stalled for the past 8 years, is likely to see some progress in the coming days as the housing department, led by Minister Jitendra Awhad, took the initiative to accept the demands made by the residents. The biggest housing redevelopment project initiated by Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has hardly seen any progress on the ground.
Dr Raju Waghmare, resident and congress party leader who fought for the BDD Chawl tenants, told the FPJ, “Our demand was first agreement and then redevelopment. Which has been accepted. The demand to draft one single agreement for all BDD Chawl projects has been accepted, along with all our other demands. Soon the project will take off.” Waghmare added that the project has been languishing for the last eight years due to the pending demands.
Meanwhile, Awhad held a meeting with the tenants to understand their problems, if any. He assured them that the government is proactive in the completion of the BDD Chawl redevelopment and that they need not worry. The minister also appealed to residents for their support in the redevelopment to avoid any further delays.
The Worli BDD Chawl redevelopment project contract was awarded in January 2019, while contracts for the Naigoan and NM Joshi Marg BDD Chawl projects were awarded in March 2017. The project was first proposed by the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government, by ex-chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Later, the Mahavikas Aghadi government led by CM Uddhav Thackeray, held a second ground-breaking ceremony for the project.
Currently, the construction work for new buildings has begun only at Worli, while the work at NM Joshi and Naigoan BDD Chawls is yet to commence.
Kiran Mane, general secretary, Akhil BDD Chawl Bhadekaru Haqq Sanrakshan Samiti, said the tenants of Worli have always been willing to support the redevelopment. “The situation is different in Worli as compared to NM Joshi and Naigoan. People are shifting to transit houses provided by MHADA at the Srinivas Mill. However, the only concern of residents was the time-consuming registration process,” he said, adding that residents were not getting copies of the agreement and this has also been communicated to the minister, who assured that these issues will be resolved soon.
At present, the construction work of new buildings, each comprising 40 storeys, has begun at Worli and so far the plinth work has been completed. In Phase I more than 14 chawls will be taken up for demolition to accommodate tenants in the new building that will be constructed at same location in Worli. There are a total of 121 chawls. A total of 51 tenants from chawl number 31 have already shifted. In chawl number 30, the agreements for both transit and a new house have been signed for nearly 68 families. “However, the process of registration has been slow due to technical problems, said Mane.
