27 November,2015 07:01 AM IST | | Varun Singh
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced at an event in Santacruz on Wednesday, that his government would construct three lakh affordable homes in MMR, starting next year
In a city starved for space, and a roof over one's head, housing is very dear issue. Considering the same, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced at an event in Santacruz on Wednesday, that his government would construct three lakh affordable homes in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), starting next year.
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CM Devendra Fadnavis
Most of these houses will be in Mumbai city. The BJP government's announcement will be carried out in the next fiscal in April 2016-March 2017. The chief minister said, "We will deliver the promise of constructing 11 lakh affordable homes, of which, three lakh affordable homes will be constructed in the MMR region in the next one year."
He also raised the issue of slum rehabilitation in Mumbai, which he alleged the previous government had misused. However, he wants the redevelopment to be done properly. Fadnavis was speaking at the inauguration of Member of Parliament Poonam Mahajan's office at Santacruz.
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Elaborating on the statement, a senior member of the CM's core team said, "Most of the homes will be in Mumbai and the remaining would be in MMR. We will be giving out the areas and locations later. But constructing these homes is possible and the government will work it out."
A source in Mantralaya claimed that the government is counting everything from Maharashtra Housing And Development Authority (MHADA) to Slum Rehabilitation Authority's (SRA) housing schemes, for adding up to the magic figure of three lakh homes. The plan also includes saltpan land in Mumbai.
The redevelopment of Bombay Development Directorate (BDD) chawls will also help the government achieve its target. Earlier this month, S S Zende, vice president and CEO, MHADA had announced that MHADA has identified certain locations in the MMR region to construct nearly one lakh homes in two phases under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (PMAY).
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He said MHADA has targeted places like Karjat-Kalyan, Vasai and Virar, where reserved government land is available in abundance. The redevelopment of the 92-acre BDD chawls, in the heart of Mumbai will also be carried out under MHADA's supervision, giving the government a few thousand homes.
