Residents can get 500 sqft, we want at least 300, demand BDD shopkeepers

The Bombay Development Directorate Chawls (BDD) shopkeepers should be given 300 sqft carpet area as opposed to the current 160 sqft they possess, demands the Akhil BDD Chawl Bhadekaru Hakk Saurakshan Samiti, an officially recognised body. This is because the redevelopment of the century-old chawls is offering increased carpet area comprising of 500 sqft for residential purposes.

Kiran Mane, the body’s secretary told FPJ, “A letter has already been written to the new housing minister, urging him to bring in an ordinance to increase the area of commercial shops.”

Rajesh Gupta, a Worli BDD Chawl shopowner and also secretary of BDD Vyapari Sanghatana, said they are unaware of how much area they will get in the newly redeveloped buildings. “Until the government does not give us a surety about how much area we will be offered, the shopkeepers cannot vacate the premises,” he said.

The Gupta family’s third generation is involved in a stationery business in Worli BDD. Similarly, doctor Ashok Maurya, a private practitioner who has a clinic in BDD, asserted a policy should be made by the government. Moreover, he stated in most shops, people apart from running the business live there. Thus they should be given more carpet area than the existing space. Worli, Naigoan, NM Joshi Marg have as many as 375 commercial shops. The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has been made the nodal agency to undertake the redevelopment of the BDD Chawls at the aforesaid three locations. Surprisingly, even after the ‘bhoomipoojan’ by the then chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, in April 2017 and appointment of contractors — Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Shapoorji Pallonji and TATA Group by MHADA, no civil work has kicked off. Interestingly, if the project succeeds, about 16,000 families in the BDD Chawls at the three areas, will get new flats for free.