MHADA has launched an initiative to expedite the redevelopment of cessed buildings in Mumbai’s island city. The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will be reaching out to the landlords and tenant associations of 13,091 cessed buildings, urging them to submit proposals for redevelopment. The letters will also be prominently displayed on the buildings themselves, informing residents and owners of the updated rules.

Under the recently amended Section 79A of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development (MHADA) Act, landowners now have the first opportunity to submit a redevelopment proposal to MHADA, provided they obtain irrevocable consent from 51% of the tenants or residents. The proposal must be submitted within six months. If the landowner does not act within the given timeframe, the tenants, through their cooperative housing society, are granted the opportunity to submit a proposal themselves, also requiring the consent of 51% of the residents. If no proposals are submitted by either party, MHADA can acquire the property and land for redevelopment.

This initiative is backed by a push to make use of the additional floor space index (FSI) available under Regulations 33(7) and 33(9) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR)-2034, which would help facilitate redevelopment projects.

MHADA has already completed structural audits for 555 cessed buildings and plans to finish inspecting the remaining buildings within the next year, further strengthening the redevelopment drive in the city.