MUMBAI: The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has launched a project implementation unit (PIU) in a bid to bring over 500,000 homes to slum dwellers within five years, surpassing the total number of homes built in the 29 years since its inception. Despite having delivered only 275,000 homes since its establishment in 1996, the SRA has recently implemented reforms, including drone and biometric surveys, which have expedited the delivery of 16,017 units within just 100 days. In the fiscal year 2024-25 alone, 16,673 units were completed, with a current target of 509,783 homes by 2030, and 334,000 units already under construction.
In a significant move, the state government recently amended the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, to reclaim overdue rent from builders who neglect to compensate slum dwellers post-demolition. This new provision allows the SRA to recover unpaid rent by seizing and selling builders’ assets or the personal property of their directors/partners if necessary. Unpaid rent will now be classified as arrears of land revenue, enabling the SRA to ensure slum dwellers receive their entitled compensation.
SRA CEO Mahindra Kalyankar emphasized that these amendments will help accelerate project timelines and guarantee timely payments to slum residents. He stated that the agency’s focus remains on achieving the ambitious goal of constructing over 500,000 homes by 2030. “We have implemented several reforms to expedite our projects. Every stalled project has been reassessed, and we’ve provided a boost through the amnesty and joint venture schemes with other state agencies,” Kalyankar noted. In the previous 29 years, 274,076 units were built, and the aim is to complete 509,783 units over the next five years.
“Our new e-office system is operational, and a list of eligible developers is being finalized for the tender process to revitalize abandoned projects. We are also beginning the process of compiling a list of qualified architects as part of the architect appointment scheme to further facilitate stalled projects. The deadline for proposal submissions has been shortened,” Kalyankar added.
“As a result, scheme implementations are progressing more swiftly. We have adopted a policy empowering architects and consultants to issue no-objection certificates, accelerating building work approvals. Moreover, we have made it a policy to continue rehabilitation projects unless halted by court orders,” he explained.
Officials pointed out that the establishment of the SRA followed the recommendations of the Afzulpurkar Committee in December 1995, which amended the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act. Nearly 50% of Mumbai’s population resides in 2,397 slum clusters.
