MHADA leaves Shirdhon residents high and dry

Housing board calls the township a “gateway to convenience and connectivity” but life is a daily struggle; some even regret moving here

THANE: Hundreds of residents moving into a low-cost housing project in Shirdhon, in Dombivali, are finding that promises made by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) have been no more than tall claims.

MHADA leaves Shirdhon residents high and dry

Phase one of the project, which comprises over 7,000 flats, is complete, and nearly 1,000 home owners have moved in. But, much to their dismay, the township lacks basic amenities such as proper roads, transportation facilities, schools and hospitals in its vicinity.

Residents allotted flats in the Shirdhon project say they were tempted by MHADA’s promotional material. One MHADA video says, “Find your dream home at Shirdhon with the MHADA Konkan Board! Strategically located and packed with modern comforts, the Shirdhon Home Project is your gateway to convenience and connectivity.” Under ‘Project Highlights’, it advertises, “Proximity to Essentials: Schools, Hospitals, and Supermarkets.”

And, yet, the nearest private hospital and school are 6-8 km away, while the nearest government hospital, in Dombivli west, lacks emergency facilities. The nearest police station, at Manpada, is 10 km away. The project itself is 12 km from Dombivali railway station, and 3.5 km from the nearest main road, the Badlapur Katai Road.

Although the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Transport (KDMT) has introduced a bus service for Shirdhon residents, locals say it is very irregular. There’s a bus once every two hours, and it often breaks down. Also, services stop by 8-9pm.

Phase two of the Shirdhon township includes 6,000-8,000 flats and is under construction. It seems word has spread about MHADA’s broken promises and the hardships residents face. With interest in the project dipping, the housing board has gone into high gear while advertising for Shirdhon, plastering Kalyan and Dombivali with banners and hoardings – but with the same tall claims.

Revati Gaikar, chief officer of the MHADA Konkan Board, told HT, “So far, 7,041 flats are ready, and around 1,000 families have taken possession. Construction of a supermarket will begin soon, and tenders for a hospital and a school within the complex will be floated in the next two to three months. KDMT has already provided a bus service to the project.”