What does the Chawl redevelopment project mean for Worli residents?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 556 flats were handed over in Phase 1 of the project.
- Residents are moving from 160-sqft rooms to 500 sq. ft. flats.
- The project aims to rehabilitate 9,689 people.
- MHADA is overseeing the redevelopment efforts.
- A total of 207 chawls will be redeveloped.
Mumbai, Aug 14 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, officially transferred 556 flats as part of the Worli BDD (Bombay Development Directorate) Chawl Redevelopment Project in Worli on Thursday.
The event was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, along with other dignitaries such as Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe, Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, and Minister Ashish Shelar.
“Today marks a significant milestone for families who have called the BDD Chawl in Worli their home for generations. Prior to the distribution of flats in the two rehabilitation buildings, which are part of the first phase of the redevelopment initiative, the buildings were inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. They also toured the buildings and flats,” stated a government release.
Additionally, the release indicated that the inauguration of these two rehabilitation buildings fulfills the long-held aspirations of BDD residents for adequate housing.
As part of the Worli BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project, individuals currently living in 160-sqft rooms are being relocated to 2 BHK ownership flats with a 500 sq. ft. carpet area at no cost.
Implemented by MHADA’s Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board, this is just the initial phase of a project that aims to rehabilitate 9,689 people from 121 old slums in Worli.
The flats distributed on Thursday are from the D and E wings of Building No. 1. Remaining units in the first phase will also be allocated to residents in a systematic manner, according to officials from MHADA.
The state housing department highlighted that the BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project is among the most significant urban renewal efforts.
Ultimately, the Worli project aims to rehabilitate 9,689 residents from 121 old chawls. MHADA has designated 65 percent of the total land specifically for rehabilitation. The development plan includes 34 rehabilitation towers, each with 40 storeys. Each flat will include one parking space in the stilt plus six-level podium parking, along with a landscaped eco-friendly garden being constructed on the seventh-floor podium.
The BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project spans around 86 acres across Worli, N.M. Joshi Marg (Parel), and Naigaon in Mumbai, involving a total of 207 chawls set for redevelopment and 15,593 residents to be rehabilitated.
In the N.M. Joshi Marg project, 2,560 residential and commercial units are being developed, with 14 rehabilitation buildings currently under construction. Meanwhile, at Naigaon (Dadar), efforts are ongoing to construct 20 rehabilitation buildings for 3,344 units, as reported by housing department sources.