Final report on chawl revamp to be presented by mid-Feb: Min

Days after announcing his plan to start a massive revamp of BDD chawls on over 93 acres of prime land in the metropolis, Maharashtra Housing Minister Ravindra Waikar today said a final report on the proposal would be submitted to the Chief Minister around mid-February.
"The residents of (Bombay Development Department) BDD chawls have long been demanding better living conditions. A proposal to develop these chawls had been lying with the state government from 2007-2012, but the previous government only sat on the files," Waikar told reporters here.
"I have directed the MHADA officials to submit a final report comprising the nitty-gritty of the project by February 15. Once this happens, I will sit with the officials of the Revenue, Finance, Urban Development department, along with officials of MHADA, and make a final proposal to the CM keeping all the departments in loop," he said.

Waikar added he would urge Fadnavis to pass the proposal in the state cabinet at the earliest.
There are a total of 16,544 tenements in 207 BDD chawls in Mumbai. 121 chawls are in Worli area, 42 in Naigaon, 32 at N M Joshi Marg and 12 at Sewree, he said.
Waikar said MHADA is ready to undertake the development project, and according to 33 (9) of the Development Rule of the state government, the residents' demand of getting 550 sq feet of homes can be made possible.

"These structures have been accorded grade III heritage category by the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC). Hence, we don't need to refer the proposal to the MHCC," he said.

The Bombay High Court had in February last year said that in cases of redevelopment, decisions on proposals for any building falling under proposed heritage precincts and Grade III of the heritage category could be taken by the BMC Commissioner.
The BDD chawls are part of colonies that were conceived in 1920 with the setting up of the Bombay Development Department to provide low-cost housing to the economically disadvantaged people.