BDD chawl residents seek MHADA’s lottery delay over unresolved issues

The lottery draw for allotment of 2,246 flats is scheduled to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. This is part of the second phase of allotment at the BDD Chawls. Earlier, on August 15, possession of 556 flats in newly constructed multi-storey buildings was handed over to residents.

Each of the newly built flats measures 500 sq ft, a significant upgrade from the 160 sq ft chawls constructed between 1920 and 1925 by the erstwhile Bombay Development Department. The chawls were among the earliest forms of affordable urban housing for migrant workers employed in the city’s textile mills, docks and railways.

In a letter addressed to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister and housing minister Eknath Shinde, and senior MHADA officials, Kiran Mane, general secretary of the Akhil BDD Chawl Bhadekaru Hakk Sarankshan Samiti, alleged that MHADA was attempting to hand over possession of flats in the second phase without adequately consulting residents.

Mane said residents were opposed to taking possession until several unresolved issues were addressed. “If the issue about possession of the houses is not resolved amicably, social unity may get affected in the future,” the letter warned.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Mane said that authorities had failed to engage in regular dialogue with residents. “Ideally, they should engage with us every three months. When the assistance of residents and the association was needed, the authorities readily approached us. Now, they are not taking us into confidence before taking key decisions,” he said.

Residents have also raised concerns about the proposed reshuffling of families belonging to different communities, warning that it could disrupt decades-old social bonds. Several chawls at Worli are community-specific, with chawls 41, 42 and 100 predominantly housing Muslim families; chawls 110, 111, 112 and 115 largely comprising Telugu-speaking residents; chawls 88, 89, and 94 to 99 inhabited by members of the Buddhist community; 113 and 114 occupied mainly by Maratha families; and 116 and 118 reserved as hostels of the Social Welfare Department.

“Instead of mixing everyone up, there needs to be a harmonious approach that allows people to stay with their existing neighbours so that festivals, traditions and family events can continue as they have for decades,” Mane said.

He also questioned MHADA’s plans regarding the relocation of religious structures that have existed in the area for several decades, alleging that there had been no meaningful dialogue on the issue.

Residents are set to meet MHADA officials on Monday, after which a decision is expected on whether to go ahead with the lottery draw as planned.

As part of the first phase of the Worli BDD Chawl redevelopment project, construction of 14 buildings—each with 40 floors—began in 2021. So far, only two buildings have been completed. In total, 33 buildings are proposed to rehouse 9,689 residents from the BDD Chawls at Worli.