MUMBAI: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to distribute keys for the first batch of BDD flats in Worli on July 21, shortly after the conclusion of the legislative session.
Plans for a function have been made where the CM will hand over several keys. Milind Borikar, Chief Officer of the Mumbai Board at Mhada, stated that 556 flats, each with a carpet area of 500 sq ft, will be allocated in this initial phase.
“By the end of the year, we anticipate receiving 3,989 flats across three sites,” Borikar added.
While preparing to hand over these flats to tenants, Mhada, the central agency for the BDD chawls redevelopment project, has issued a notice to the contractor, TCC Construction Company, for failing to meet deadlines. A penalty of Rs 13 crore, which encompasses penalties, escalation charges, and unliquidated damages, has been imposed, with the notice dated July 2.
The 556 tenants will be relocated to the D and E wings of Building No. 1, each consisting of 40 stories. “The buildings have received their fire NOC, and water and electricity services are established. A request for an occupation certificate is in process and expected soon,” a source revealed.
The initial group of tenants previously relocated to transit flats owned by Mhada at Srinivas and Century Mills in Parel will also move into these new buildings, which contain eight wings, each standing 40 stories tall.
Construction delays for various wings range from 2 to 11 months. Sources noted that while the D and E wings were scheduled for completion and handover to Mhada in July last year, the revised handover date is now July 31. Other wings, like B, C, F, and G, face a nine-month delay, while wings A and H are delayed by two months, according to the notice. The contractor has responded to the notice, and a decision will be made following thorough review of their response.
With BMC elections approaching at the year’s end or early next year, the Mahayuti government aims to ensure maximum rehabilitation of residents, predominantly Marathi-speaking, into their new homes.
