MHADA proposes to redevelop Port Trust buildings

If everything goes according to plan, the dilapidated cess buildings at the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) may be redeveloped.u00a0The Repair and Reconstruction Board (R&R) of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has sent a proposal to the MbPT for the redevelopment of these building.

According to MHADA, Mumbai Port Trust has over 3,000 cess dilapidated buildings

The decision will be subject to approval from the central government. If it gets the approval, the MHADA will get 3,000 surplus houses which it will use for the allotment of tenants who are on the waiting list, which includes project affected people.u00a0Speaking to Sunday MiD DAY, Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board Chairman, Prasad Lad, said, "There are many buildings of MbPT which are old and are dilapidated. We want to redevelop these buildings and have sent a proposal to the MbPT. Once the proposal is passed by them, it will be sent to the central government for approval."

According to Lad, there are around 3,000 cess buildings in central and south Mumbai which are in shambles. Redevelopment will not only give the present tenants better homes, but also help MHADA get surplus houses. "If the redevelopment of these buildings gets a nod, we would get around 3,000 houses which we can allot to the people who are staying in temporary transit camps," said Lad.

The redevelopment of the cess buildings on the land owned by MbPT will be done under DCR 33(7) and DCR 33(9). As MHADA is the nodal agency for the redevelopment of these buildings, if the proposal is accepted, the tenants will get 300 square feet houses each.u00a0The Repair and Reconstruction board of MHADA gives No Objection Certificates to the redevelopment of the cess buildings and the BMC gives permission to the respective floor plans.u00a0"It is important to redevelop these MbPT buildings because they are dangerous places to stay in," said an official from MHADA, on condition of anonymity.u00a0