Mhada lottery ensures homes for 972 families

It was a dream come true for 972 families who, after a long wait, won 972 affordable homes in the city though a lottery that the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) conducted on Wednesday.

Minister of state for housing Ravindra Waikar, who declared the results at the event, said that the government would ensure that it delivers on its promise of providing affordable homes to a maximum number of individuals in the state. “Our government is committed and working towards providing affordable homes to a maximum number of people in the state by 2022,” said Mr Waikar.

Forty-five-year-old Vijay Khamkar, who works in a private company, said it was because of his father, who was a freedom fighter, that he had won a house on Wednesday.

“Throughout his life, my father fought for the country but never bothered about owning a shelter for the family. I have no words to express the happiness after being able to proudly say that I now own a house in Mumbai. The only thing that worries me now is paying around Rs 50 lakh to Mhada, for which I will have to take a loan,” Mr Khamkar said.

Mhada had received around 1.36 lakh applications for the 972 houses, located in areas such as Borivali, Goregaon, Sion, Andheri, Malad, Chembur and Mankhurd.

Another winner, Ankur Johari, said, “I have been living on rent in Mumbai for the past 17 years. Everyone’s dream is to own a house in the city. I had made two attempts before this and was lucky the third time around. I have won a house in Goregaon, which would be far from my workplace, but I will manage, since it was proving to be impossible to own a house in the city with a budget of Rs 40 lakh.”

Mahesh Koshte, who won a house in Chembur, said: “I was born in a slum that was later demolished for the construction of a road. Since then, I have been staying in a rented chawl. However, arranging Rs 11 lakh for the house that I have won is a challenge for me. But I am confident that I will be able to manage it somehow.”