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The state cabinet has approved the redevelopment of 25 buildings in Sion Koliwada, Mumbai, inhabited by Sikh, Sindhi, and Punjabi families displaced during Partition. These buildings, housing around 1,200 tenants, will undergo reconstruction through a construction and development agency appointed by MHADA. The estimated cost of the project is close to INR 3,000 crore.
Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar Co-operative Society has been established to oversee the redevelopment of this colony. The 25 buildings, spread over 41,500 sq m, have been demolished, clearing the way for the redevelopment. However, commercial slum units have encroached on the remaining land.
MHADA has been designated as the special planning authority for the project. The redevelopment necessitates the consent of at least 51% of the tenants in each building or 60% of the total tenants or residents in the rehabilitation plan. A high-powered committee under the supervision of the additional chief secretary of the housing department will monitor the project's implementation.
As part of the redevelopment, existing residents will receive larger homes, approximately 635 sq ft each, free of cost. Additionally, MHADAwill acquire over 1,000 extra homes for sale through the lottery system. Beyond the 1,200 families in the 25 buildings, approximately 200 slum units will also benefit from the redevelopment.
Sion Koliwada, historically a resettlement area for refugees after Partition, has seen residents relocate over the years. The GTB Nagar buildings were established in the 1950s and '60s to accommodate residents of the Sion Koliwada refugee camp, who migrated from Pakistan in 1948. Many residents have since moved to rented accommodations in areas like Panvel, Kharghar, Thane, and Vashi.
The redevelopment of these buildings has been a longstanding issue, with the BMC declaring them dilapidated and sending notices since 2011. The conveyance of the buildings to the Guru Tegh Bahadur Cooperative Housing Society simplified the process, as the land was granted to the society.
Under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis, the conveyance was successfully completed, paving the way for redevelopment. The project will follow Section 33(9) of the Development Control Promotion regulations, ensuring larger-sized flats for residents. The construction and redevelopment agency will be selected through a tender process.
Residents, like Sandeep Singh Dham, whose family has resided in the colony for three generations, express relief and satisfaction with the decision. Despite facing displacement during the Covid-19 pandemic, they have been advocating for redevelopment since 2011. Their efforts, supported by local representatives like MLC Prasad Lad and MLA Tamil Selvan, led to the government's intervention and approval of the redevelopment project.
This significant undertaking marks MHADA's role as a special planning authority, despite not being the landowner. Once the necessary governmental procedures are completed, tenders will be issued to invite bids for the redevelopment, ensuring a resolution to this long standing issue and providing new homes for displaced citizens in the coming years.
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