MUMBAI: A committee appointed by the Bombay High Court has described it as a “miracle” that thousands of residents are still living in structurally unsafe buildings. The report raises serious concerns about the deteriorating condition of Mumbai’s ageing cessed structures, citing significant delays in redevelopment and a critical shortage of rehabilitation housing.
The committee estimates that around 400,000 tenants occupy 12,552 cessed buildings in Mumbai, many of which are in poor condition and awaiting redevelopment. Prolonged legal disputes and insufficient transit accommodation have forced residents to remain in these unsafe environments.
The risks were starkly highlighted when committee members narrowly avoided injury after a 50 kg cement block fell from a staircase they had just crossed in one of the hazardous buildings inspected. Numerous structures examined by the panel were found to be teetering on the brink of collapse.
A major issue identified is the acute lack of transit housing. The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has approximately 20,400 transit tenements, yet only about 500 are currently available for rehabilitation.
The special panel, consisting of Justice J.P. Devadhar, a former judge of the Bombay High Court, and Vilas Dongre, a former principal district judge, was formed in response to growing concerns regarding the state of Mumbai’s cessed buildings and the delays in their redevelopment. They conducted on-site inspections, engaged with tenants, landlords, and officials, and compiled a detailed assessment of structural risks, redevelopment barriers, and transit accommodation availability.
The panel’s report also highlights complaints about redevelopment projects that have been stalled for years due to disputes between co-landlords, title issues, and extended litigation. Many tenants have alleged that landlords have neither made repairs nor collected rent for over a decade, leaving buildings in a perilous state. Concerns about the quality of repairs carried out by MHADA’s repair board were also mentioned. The panel noted that MHADA has issued 935 notices under Section 79-A of the MHADA Act to expedite the renovation of dangerous cessed buildings, yet many projects remain stalled due to procedural obstacles and ongoing court cases. The report is anticipated to significantly impact ongoing high court proceedings regarding the redevelopment of cessed buildings.
Activist Jeetendra Ghadge called the findings an “eye-opener” and urged for immediate legal reforms. “I commend the committee for its diligent work, thorough inspections, and dedication to hearing from countless stakeholders. The Maharashtra government must urgently amend the Maharashtra Rent Control Act and the MHADA Act to streamline redevelopment and abolish the archaic pagdi system,” he stated.
Urban planner and architect Nitin Killawala emphasized that transparency in policies, empowering societies for self-redevelopment, and strategic FSI pricing are essential to accelerate the process.
Another expert, who preferred to remain anonymous, mentioned, “Cessed buildings, typically having a lifespan of around 60 years, continue to be occupied, with some approaching a century, posing serious risks to residents. There are over 12,000 such buildings. Many are technically unsafe yet not officially classified as dangerous. Several buildings that were never labeled as ‘dangerous’ have collapsed. Moreover, agreements are sometimes made with the help of officials to selectively declare buildings as dangerous, often benefiting a nexus between builders and politicians.”
