Mumbai's BDD chawls: A sneak peek into the ‘500 sq ft’ future

To gain the confidence of the tenants and to give them an idea about what the future beholds, sample flats have been put up at Naigaon and NM Joshi Marg. The flats were put up at the locations in February and till now, the NM Joshi Marg sample has had 10,907 visitors, while the Naigaon one has seen 8,040 visitors.

The sample flats measuring 500-sq ft are more than three times the existing apartments.

"The sample flat at the Lower Parel BDD chawl saw more than 100 visitors on the evening it was put up. The sample flat has two bedrooms, a hall, and a kitchen," said a senior MHADA official. What's exciting most of the residents is not that hey will get a 2BHK, but that there will be two bathrooms. When the residents move in, which could be within three to seven years, things will change drastically for them — including the cost of the house, which people say will be close to Rs 2 crore.

Many residents are happy that they are going to move into a bigger apartment, as the current ones they reside in is small and the families are big. Laxman Deshnehre, a resident of Naigaon BDD chawl, said, "I work for the construction industry and have seen the sample flat. It is spacious and good. For people like me with big families, it is a lucrative option. Imagine moving from a small one room kitchen measuring 160-sq ft to a big, spacious flat. It is a blessing," said Sakpal.

Krishnakant Nalge, a resident of Lower Parel BDD, believes a redevelopment is a good option and that people are looking forward to it. "The redevelopment has to take place and we are supporting it. Most of the residents in Lower Parel BDD and other BDD chawls are descendants of former mill workers. I and many others have checked out the sample flat; we liked it."

Moving into a bigger home means more maintenance too, which the residents will have to shell out. Deshnehre says: "The initial 10 years won't require maintenance work; after that, we will have to shell out money, which I don't think would be much. But, I am speaking only for myself. If someone is unable to bear that expense, they might sell the flats. That, however, isn't happening any time soon."

THE LUCKY ONES

• When the mill workers started migrating to the city, they needed a place to stay and the BDD chawls were the best option available.
   
• The population there mostly comprises north Indians, Telegu-speaking community, and Maharashtrians, mostly from the Konkan region and western Maharashtra.