Mumbai, August 13, 2026: Congress BMC group leader Ashraf Azmi has opposed the proposed 30-year lease of 23,822 sq metres of prime Century Mill land in Lower Parel to Peddar Realty Ltd, with an option for another 30 years, questioning why a valuable municipal asset reclaimed after a decades-long legal battle should be handed to a private developer for potentially six decades.
Azmi said the land should instead serve mill workers, existing residents and the wider public through rehabilitation, PAP and mill-worker housing, open spaces and civic amenities.
He has also questioned the proposed Rs 1,351-crore consideration, citing an indicative development potential of 10.75 lakh sq ft and a potential gross development or sale value of nearly Rs 7,000 crore.
Congress Demands Independent Valuation
Azmi has demanded an independent valuation and comparison with a BMC-led development model before the proposal is cleared, along with safeguards for the nearly Rs 1,000 crore in deferred payments. The proposal will come before the Civic Improvements Committee for sanction at its next meeting.
Nearly 20 years after Century Mills shut in December 2006, 476 mill-worker families are finally set for permanent rehabilitation on the Lower Parel plot.
The proposed redevelopment will include a high-rise residential complex, with rehabilitation flats for eligible families and additional units sold in the open market to generate revenue for the BMC.
Mill Workers Set For Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation homes are expected to measure around 405 sq ft, depending on the scheme adopted by the developer.
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The land was originally leased to Century Spinning and Manufacturing Ltd in 1927 to house poorer-class employees. After the lease expired in 1955, a prolonged ownership dispute followed. In January 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the BMC, affirming its ownership and clearing the way for redevelopment.
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