MUMBAI
Housing body says nothing will be done without consulting residents
Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority MHADA, for quite some time now, has been trying to redevelop Motilal Nagar in Goregaon West which is spread over 142 acres of land and has 3,700 tenements at present.
Residents of Motilal Nagar are not opposed to MHADA's redevelopment plan. However, they want that they should be taken into consideration before the housing authority decides on the redevelopment process. They also want clarity on what is the area that the residents will get post-redevelopment. However, the residents also claim that if the plans of redevelopment from MHADA isn't in favour of what they desire for, then self redevelopment is the option that they have already informed MHADA about. MHADA claims that they will not take any decision without consulting the residents of Motilal Nagar.
MHADA had earlier announced that it will redevelop the area and hand over new houses to the existing residents.
Madhu Chavan, the chairman of Mumbai Board, MHADA says that the area of the tenement that will be provided to the existing residents will be 1100 sq ft.
The total project is worth Rs 30,000 crore. Motilal Nagar Vikas Samiti, which claims to have the confidence of the majority of residents, says that they want MHADA to take the residents into confidence. Nilesh Prabhu, Joint Secretary of the Vikas Samiti said, "We want redevelopment, we aren't against redevelopment, but we have a simple and clear demand, we expect MHADA to hear us out before they decide on anything related to the area's redevelopment."
Prabhu claims that they will be holding a meeting and make a proper announcement soon. "We have also submitted to MHADA that we are ready for self redevelopment and can go ahead with it. MHADA has announced the area they will give us even before having a discussion with us. We want MHADA to follow the procedure," said Prabhu.
Some of the residents stated that they want a minimum of 1500 sq ft when their homes are redeveloped. Deepender Singh Kushwaha, chief officer, Mumbai Board said, "There will be nothing that will be done without the consultation of the residents of the area."