No bids for BDD redevelopment again

Mumbai: It seems that the state government’s push to redevelop the erstwhile Bombay Development Division (BDD) chawls along with constructing affordable homes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has gone futile as the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (Mhada) has not got a single bidder, despite extending bidding dates for both the flagships projects last month. 

The state government in an effort to push both the flagship projects had floated global bids for both the projects prior to the BMC polls in January. Among both the BDD chawls located at N.M. Joshi Marg and Naigam along with constructing approximately 3,000 homes under the PMAY were included. 

However, in the first week of February, after finding no takers, the dates were extended to February 28. But Mhada failed to get any bids yet again forcing it to now push the dates for another two weeks. 

Mhada officials anticipate the lukewarm response to the slowdown in the real estate sector and claimed that there were many companies that participated in the pre-bid meeting but none of them did submit their bids. 

Subhash Lakhe, chief of Mumbai board, Mhada, said, “We have extended the dates for the second time now and we expect that we would get bidders after the extension.” 

Another Mhada official handling PMAY, said, “Though the revenue department had transferred the land parcels in the name of Mhada located in Kalyan, Panvel and other districts surrounding Mumbai but at various locations there are protests by local villagers.