Revamp of Naigaon, NM Joshi Marg BDD chawls cleared

A high-powered committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary Swadheen Kshatriya has cleared the proposal to redevelop BDD chawls at Naigaon and NM Joshi Marg. While 500 square feet built up area has been approved for tenants, surplus area will be used as saleable components for the middle-income group (MIG), high-income group (HIG), and for commercial purposes.

Mr Kshatriya confirmed the same to select media persons at Mantralaya on Monday. He also said that the proposal to redevelop BDD chawls at Worli could not be cleared as the matter is in a legal wrangle. “Tenants of BDD chawls will get flats measuring 500 square feet (built up area). The flats will have one master bedroom, one toilet, bathroom, and dining room-cum-hall each. Of the surplus area, 60 per cent will have saleable component for MIG families, 30 per cent for HIG families, and 10 per cent of stock will be for commercial use,” he said. the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will be the nodal agency for the redevelopment project, he added.

“Redevelopment proposals of both Naigaon and NM Joshi Marg BDD chawls have been referred to the chief minister for his final approval. Once the proposal is cleared, redevelopment work shall commence in six months’ time,” said Mr Kshatriya.

He further said that necessary amendments were being made to the Development Control Rules (DC Rule) 33(9), with a new amendment (A) being added to them. Since BMC was the planning authority, the DC Rules would have to be amended first, he said. Approval of the Centre’s Environment Committee too would have to be sought as redevelopment covered more than 20,000 square feet.

Mr Kshatriya’s announcement comes before the BJP-led state government had planned to hold a grand rally in Worli sometime later this month to make the same announcement. The British had constructed 207 BDD chawls in around 1920.

The BDD chawls are spread over 93 acre and comprise 207 ground plus three storey buildings having 16,557 flats admeasuring 160 square feet.