MHADA begins validation of ownership rights
The validation of ownership rights of tenants living in Byculla’s Dagdi chawl has been initiated by the Mumbai Building Repair & Reconstruction Board (MBRRB), an undertaking of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA).
Arun Dongare, the CEO of MBRRB, said the verification process is almost complete. He said claims and objections will be called once the annexure list of these tenants is ready. Citizens will have a month to reply. He added, “A no-objection certificate is issued only when the title of the property is undisputed.”
According to the initial redevelopment plan, two 40storeyed towers will come up. Besides saleable components, each will have houses for the original 388 tenant families.
Dagdi Chawl is known for
its infamous owner and resident Arun Gawli. The underworld don-turned-politician is currently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail. His daughter Geeta told the Free Press Journal, “Every tenant is happy and equally excited that they will get new houses. The buildings of Dagdi chawl have become old and need immediate redevelopment.” She refused to comment further saying the project is in its nascent stage.
The chawl had 10 fourstoreyed buildings, of which two have already been demolished by MBRRB after being declared extremely dangerous. Transit buildings will be built on that vacant piece of land within the project layout so that the tenants can stay until the project is completed. Apart from allotting new houses to chawl tenants, the board will get its own share of houses in this project, which will also be sold in the open market.