Mumbai: Police housing quarters scattered across the city are in for a major overhaul soon. Over 4000 Police Constables and 500-700 officers may now have new, swanky homes in tall multi-storeyed towers.
A proposal to this effect has been readied by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) with the concurrence of the Mumbai Police. Tenders for appointing a Project Management Consultant (PMC) have been floated and the process is currently underway, top MHADA officials told FPJ.
Redeveloping 4725 police quarters at 17 locations
The plan is to redevelop 4725 police quarters scattered across 17 locations in the city. Of the 17 locations, cops want some 5 to 7 locations to be redeveloped for police housing. The remaining will be available to MHADA for resale purposes in order to recover their cost of construction.
The shortlisted locations include Mahim, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Powai and Andheri among others.
"These areas are very large in size and are currently housing huge police quarters. Once they are redeveloped with multi-storeyed towers, all the 4725 cops can be accommodated here, thereby, leaving the other locations free for MHADA’s resale component”, officials said.
Once project management consultants are appointed, they will submit a feasibility report after which work is expected to commence with immediate effect.
Multi-storeyed buildings with start-of-the-art amenities
According to reliable MHADA officials at present most police quarters are old and in dilapidated condition. “They are ground plus three to four storeyed structures. Constables are living in 225 sq ft area homes. Under the new proposal we will be providing them bigger, spacious 500 sq ft area homes. Men in khaki want the old buildings to be redeveloped into multi-storeyed towers complete with state of the art amenities like gyms, swimming pools, yoga centres, parks and maidans”, they explained.
The idea is to provide policemen with spacious homes where they can comfortably live with their families. “Cops lead very stressful lives…their homes need to be havens of peace and joy. Which is why we are making provisions for yoga centres, playgrounds, gyms and other amenities in the towers. These will help them to maintain mental peace and balance.”
These new homes will be available to the cops as living/housing quarters and will not be on ownership basis, the officials clarified.
However, there are certain points of difference that need to be sorted out between MHADA and Police before work actually commences. “Issues of maintenance and transit camp facilities are yet to be worked out before police concurrence. Once these knots are resolved, work on the project can start immediately,” MHADA officials said.
