Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister for Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Mumbai Suburban Co-Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Thursday directed MHADA to initiate stringent action against developers who fail to hand over flats reserved for the housing authority under redevelopment projects, saying merely filing police complaints is not enough.
Addressing the draw of lots for the Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board's lottery of 2,640 affordable homes at Rangsharda Auditorium in Bandra, Lodha said developers benefiting from additional development rights (ADR) are legally bound to transfer the flats earmarked for MHADA but many continue to delay the process for years.
"Do not stop at filing an FIR. Take strict action against the concerned developers. If necessary, send them to jail. Action against a few developers will act as a deterrent and ensure compliance," Lodha said.
According to the minister, strict enforcement could immediately make around 1,000 MHADA-reserved homes available for allotment to eligible homebuyers.
Advisory committee proposed for MHADA
Lodha also proposed the formation of advisory committees within MHADA to improve communication between citizens and the housing authority.
Drawing parallels with citizen advisory panels introduced in municipal corporations, he said the committees should comprise elected representatives, architects, housing experts, representatives of voluntary organisations and other stakeholders.
Such committees, he said, would strengthen public participation and help resolve local housing issues more effectively.
Reiterating the government's commitment to affordable housing, Lodha said the state aims to ensure transparency and fairness in MHADA's functioning under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Over 75,000 applications for 2,640 homes
The computerised lottery for 2,640 flats received 75,127 applications, translating into an average of 28.54 applications per flat, underscoring the strong demand for affordable housing in Mumbai.
Housing Minister of State Pankaj Bhoyar said the response reflected growing public confidence in MHADA's transparent and fully computerised lottery system.
He said Mumbai continues to attract people from across the country in search of livelihood, making home ownership one of the city's biggest aspirations. The state government, he added, is pursuing multiple housing initiatives, including cluster redevelopment, to increase affordable housing supply.
MHADA targets 7.5 lakh homes
Speaking at the event, MHADA Vice-President and CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal said the authority has set a target of constructing more than 7.5 lakh houses as part of the state's broader housing vision.
He said the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has been identified as a growth hub, with the government targeting construction of 30 lakh houses, including 22 lakh through Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects and eight lakh by MHADA and other agencies.
Jaiswal said MHADA alone plans to deliver more than 7.5 lakh homes, and a presentation outlining the roadmap was recently made before the Chief Minister.
Over the past three years, MHADA's regional boards have conducted around 25 lotteries, offering nearly 50,000 homesacross Maharashtra.
Rental housing, hostels in new housing policy
Jaiswal said the state's new housing policy extends beyond ownership housing and includes rental housing, working women's hostels, student hostels, old-age homes and accommodation for industrial workers.
He said MHADA is also developing a dedicated portal for rental housing, recognising the growing demand for rental accommodation in Mumbai.
In Mumbai, MHADA has identified 925 acres for cluster redevelopment over the next seven years. The projects are expected to rehabilitate around 65,000 residents, generate approximately 30,000 homes for MHADA, and enable developers to construct more than one lakh sale units.
He added that the Housing Department is also considering policy changes to strengthen implementation of the 20% inclusive housing scheme.
PMAY progress and next lottery
Jaiswal said around four lakh homes have been constructed in Maharashtra under the urban component of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) Phase-I, while another six lakh beneficiaries have received assistance under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
Under PMAY 2.0 (Urban), nearly two lakh houses have already been sanctioned under the Beneficiary-Led Construction (BLC) and HPPP components.
He also announced that the next Mumbai Board housing lottery is expected to be launched in January-February 2027.
The lottery proceedings were livestreamed on MHADA's official YouTube and Facebook platforms, attracting around 95,000 viewers on YouTube and 13,000 on Facebook.
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