NASHIK: In a significant move towards enhancing affordable housing in Nashik, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has been allocated 2,553 sqm of surplus land in Makhmalabad by the district administration. This parcel is expected to house around 200 low-income families.
The transfer of the land, designated as surplus under the Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) Act of 1976, has been formally approved by the Nashik district administration. Mhada’s Nashik division has acquired the land at a nominal rate of Re 1 per sqm, totaling Rs 2,553.
Nashik Collector and Competent Authority Ayush Prasad issued a directive for the transfer of three land parcels intended for a housing project aimed at lower-income groups. This decision stems from a meeting of the technical committee that assessed proposals concerning unused government land.
“Mhada has made the required payments into the government treasury under the appropriate head, and the official measurement maps have been verified by the Deputy Superintendent of Land Records. The land has been granted Category Class-II occupancy rights. Mhada is obligated to commence the housing project within three years of possession,” Prasad stated.
The transfer entails several conditions. Mhada is prohibited from selling, gifting, mortgaging, or subdividing the land without prior approval from the state revenue department. Additionally, a minimum 12-meter-wide access road must be constructed, all statutory building regulations must be adhered to, and Mhada is mandated to maintain green cover by planting one tree per 100 sqm of open space.
The collector has instructed the Naib Tehsildar to oversee the formal handover process, ensure Mhada provides a compliance undertaking, and update the 7/12 land records.
A senior Mhada official mentioned that this land could facilitate the creation of 170 housing units, each approximately 40 to 50 sqm. Detailed plans will soon be drawn up to finalize the number of dwellings designated for low-income families.
The official further noted that there is a high demand for Mhada housing projects in the Makhmalabad area, with construction on the new scheme expected to commence shortly.
