Mhada nod for Vikhroli cluster revamp

More than two years after it was mooted, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) on Tuesday gave an in-principle nod to its first 274-acre cluster redevelopment project at Tagore Nagar at Vikhroli.

More than two years after it was mooted, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) on Tuesday gave an in-principle nod to its first 274-acre cluster redevelopment project at Tagore Nagar at Vikhroli.

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The project, which involves the redevelopment of 65 old structures, has the potential to generate at least 22,945 low-cost houses for Mhada, which can then be sold through the computerised lottery system.

Niranjan Kumar Sudhanshu, chief officer, Mhada (Mumbai Board), said, “The project is being planned and a roadmap is being charted out. It would create several affordable houses.”

With the housing board being the landlord, the consent of the 5,470 tenants living in the 65 buildings will not be needed. Also, Mhada has vacant land in Vikhroli, which can be used to provide transit accommodation to the residents.

Residents, however, are not enthusiastic about the Mhada’s participation. “We have no faith in Mhada. We are already in talks with private builders, who have offered us an additional area along and handsome compensation,” said Nandkumar Sawant, a resident of Tagore Nagar.

Some builders have offered 1,100sqft area with Rs10 lakh as corpus fund to the residents. “The builders have also offered us modern amenities, which will not be possible for Mhada,” said Sawant.

Local MNS legislator Mangesh Sangle wants Mhada to take the opinion of the residents into consideration before embarking on the project. “The authority should take people into confidence first,” said Sangle.