Mhada offers larger homes in Motilal Nagar, but below residents’ demand

Over 3,700 families will receive 1,600 sq ft (RERA carpet area) homes, significantly lower than the 2,400 sq ft carpet area demanded by resident groups

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) on Friday unveiled the comprehensive master plan for the redevelopment of Motilal Nagar in Goregaon West, in which over 3,700 families will receive 1,600 sq ft (RERA carpet area) homes.

Over 3,700 families will receive 1,600 sq ft (RERA carpet area) homes, significantly lower than the 2,400 sq ft carpet area demanded by resident groups. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

This marks an increase from the earlier proposal of 1,600 sq ft built-up area (1,333 sq ft carpet area), though it remains significantly lower than the 2,400 sq ft carpet area demanded by resident groups.

The ₹1 lakh crore project, spanning 143 acres in Goregaon West, is being executed by the Adani Group in three phases. The developer has set a target of completing the project within seven years of receiving the occupation certificate.

Under the revised master plan, 3,702 eligible residents will be allotted free rehabilitation homes of 1,600 sq ft carpet area each, while 328 eligible commercial occupants will receive units measuring 987 sq ft. In addition, around 1,600 slum dwellers will be rehabilitated in 300 sq ft homes. Mhada will also receive a substantial housing stock as part of the project.

Speaking on the occasion, Mhada CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal said, “The Motilal Nagar Redevelopment Project is one of the most important and historic projects in Mhada’s journey. The state government is committed to providing well-planned and quality housing to all citizens.”

Friday’s announcement comes after sustained demands from resident groups for significantly larger homes. Among other demands, residents have also sought a ₹20 lakh corpus fund or a waiver of maintenance charges for 20 years.

History of demands

The Maharashtra government had approved the redevelopment project in 2021, proposing 1,600 sq ft homes for eligible residents — a substantial upgrade from the existing 230 sq ft tenements.

However, residents moved court seeking to quash the tender process on three grounds: first, as a society, they should be permitted to choose self-redevelopment; second, the society has the right to appoint a developer of their choice; thirdly, the appointment of any developer requires the consent of 51% of the society.

In March 2025, after hearing both sides, the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court allowed Mhada to proceed with appointing a developer under the Construction and Development Agency (C&DA) model. Adani Realty emerged as the successful bidder over Larsen & Toubro.

Resident groups such as the Motilal Nagar Vikas Samiti (MNVS) and Jankalyankari Samiti have consistently demanded a minimum of 2,000 sq ft carpet area, arguing that the land value justified significantly larger homes.

In July last year, Mhada and the Adani Group had agreed to provide 1,600 sq ft built-up area units, which residents opposed, citing a “clear deviation” from their demand for 2,000-2,400 sq ft carpet area. Their legal challenge was eventually dismissed by the courts.

Subsequently, resident groups continued to make representations to Mhada. Following discussions with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier this month, a proposal for 1,880 sq ft built-up area (1,600 sq ft RERA carpet area) homes was considered. Reacting to the announcement, MNVS joint secretary Nilesh Prabhu said residents would continue to press for 2,400 sq ft homes.

With the revision, the entire Floor Space Index (FSI) calculation for the stakeholders has also been revised. Around 56,000 sq m 602,7709 sq ft) of additional area will be required to accommodate the additional area, according to Mhada’s Jaiswal.

Now, the revised rehabilitation component for homes, slums, and commercial areas would comprise 593,870.64 sq m (6,392,370 sq ft) to construct 5,302 units. Mhada would get 397,100 sq m (4,274,349 sq ft), and roughly 8,500 homes may be constructed, each measuring 500 sq ft.

The Adani Group’s arm for the project, Estatevue Developers, will get 1,889,204 sq m (20,335,222 sq ft) of the total FSI area of 2,880,174 sq m (31,001,935 sq ft), to sell in the open market.

‘15-minute city’

According to Mhada’s statement, the major highlight of the redevelopment project is its transformation into a “15-minute city”, where essential amenities such as schools, clinics, hospitals, markets, commercial complexes, green parks, senior citizen zones, playgrounds, jogging tracks, cycling tracks, cultural halls, and gymnasiums will be accessible within a 15-minute radius.

The project includes the development of nearly 15 acres of green zones. Additionally, modern infrastructure such as multi-level parking, sewage treatment plants (STP), rainwater harvesting systems, solar energy utilisation, smart security systems (CCTV, access control), fire safety systems, and eco-friendly technologies will be incorporated, the statement added.

With inputs from agencies