Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Maharashrra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday handed over 556 flats under the Worli BDD (Bombay Development Directorate) Chawl Redevelopment Project in Worli.

Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe, Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister Ashish Shelar, among others were also present.

“Today was a special day for the families who have been living in BDD Chawl in Worli for many generations. Before the distribution of flats in the two rehabilitation buildings, which have been completed in the first phase of the BDD Chawl redevelopment project, the building was inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. They also inspected the building and the flats,” said a government release.

It further added that with the inauguration of two rehabilitation buildings it was a fulfilment of the dream of houses for BDD residents.

Under the Worli BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project, beneficiaries who are currently residing in 160-sqft rooms are being relocated to 2 BHK ownership flats of 500 sq. ft. carpet area, free of cost.

It was implemented by the MHADA’s Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board. This is the first phase of the redevelopment project, which will ultimately rehabilitate 9,689 people from 121 old slums in Worli.

Flats that were handed over on Thursday are part of the D and E wings in Building No. 1. The remaining houses in the first phase will be handed over to the residents, also in a phased manner, said MHADA officials.

According to the state housing department, the BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project is one of yen major urban renewal initiatives.

The Worli project will rehabilitate 9,689 residents from 121 old chawls. MHADA has allocated 65 per cent of the total land for rehabilitation purposes. The plan includes 34 rehabilitation towers of 40 storeys each. Each flat will come with one parking space in the stilt plus six-level podium parking, and a landscaped eco-friendly garden being developed on the seventh-floor podium.

The BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project covers about 86 acres across Worli, N.M. Joshi Marg (Parel), and Naigaon in Mumbai, with a total of 207 chawls to be redeveloped and 15,593 residents to be rehabilitated.

The N.M. Joshi Marg project includes 2,560 residential and commercial units with 14 rehabilitation buildings under construction, while at Naigaon (Dadar), work is underway to build 20 rehabilitation buildings for 3,344 units, said the housing department sources.

–IANS

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