MHADA will invite tenders for redeveloping the 127-acre colony in Goregaon (W) soon, once issues with residents are sorted out
If everything goes according to plan, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will soon invite tenders for the redevelopment of one of its biggest and oldest colonies in the city – at Motilal Nagar in Goregaon (West).
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Ready for redevelopment: As per the current affordable housing policy, when the redevelopment takes place, residents may get 575-625 sq ft (carpet area) houses
Resident executive engineer R B Mitkar said, “The High Court, in its decision related to the Motilal Nagar redevelopment, has clearly stated that MHADA can redevelop Motilal Nagar. We have already received permission to appoint the architect, who will prepare a proper layout plan. We will be carrying out a phase-wise redevelopment and tenders for construction of buildings will be invited soon.” The housing body is keen on the project because the colony is at a prime location in Goregaon.
But before steps to initiate tenders are taken, MHADA must first satisfy the current residents. The inhabitants of the 3,700 houses of this colony, which is spread across 127 acres, are demanding that each family should get two houses (instead of one) when the redevelopment takes place, as, according to them, the existent area of their houses was large.
It should be noted that when this MHADA colony came into existence around 1950, the housing authority had given the residents 230 sq ft houses. However, over the years, some residents not only illegally constructed additional floors, but also covered up the area behind or beside their houses to make their homes bigger.
MHADA had plans to demolish the construction, but now has decided that it will only redevelop it. As per the current affordable housing policy, if redevelopment takes place, residents may get 575-625 sq ft (carpet area) houses. But families are demanding two houses in the new building that will come up.
“Some residents have written to us with requests that as the number of family members had increased, an one additional house be given after the redevelopment. A majority have even showed their willingness to pay the entire amount for the second flat, as per applicable MHADA rates,” added Mitkar.
There are also some NGOs who had some issues and questions regarding the project. In order to discuss these points, MHADA has called for a meeting with residents and NGO representatives at its Bandra (East) headquarters on December 4.
The body hopes to generate 10,000-15,000 flats from the project, which it can sell through the lottery mechanism and earn a huge amount of revenue. But the organisation’s first priority is the resettlement and rehabilitation of the current residents, after which the remaining flats would go up for sale.
For this, on a pilot basis, the authorities plan to construct one building in which residents can move in, while their homes are being reconstructed. This will avoid shifting families far away from their homes.
After the first set of flats is made, people can move out of the temporary building and into their new homes. Following this, the next set of families can move into the temporary flats, allowing redevelopment of their homes. Thus, a phase-wise redevelopment project would be undertaken, said Mitkar.
15,000 Approximate number of houses MHADA will generate from the redevelopment of Motilal Nagar
3,700 Number of houses in Motilal Nagaru00a0
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