Fadnavis Inaugurates First Phase of Worli BDD Chawl Redevelopment, Hands Over Keys to 556 Residents

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inaugurated the first phase of the Worli BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project, described as one of Asia’s largest urban renewal initiatives. The ceremony was held at Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha in Matunga (West), where Fadnavis handed over keys to 556 eligible residents. Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, along with senior ministers and officials, attended the event.

The project, executed by MHADA’s Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board, aims to rehabilitate long-time chawl residents into modern flats. The first phase specifically covers residents from the D and E wings of Building No. 01. In total, 9,689 residents from 121 old chawls in Worli are slated for rehabilitation, with 65 per cent of the project land allocated for this purpose.

Residents, who previously lived in cramped 160 sq ft rooms, are now receiving 2BHK flats with a carpet area of 500 sq ft, free of cost. The redevelopment plan includes 34 towers of 40 storeys each, with stilt-plus-six-level podium parking and landscaped gardens on the seventh floor.

During the transition, residents were moved to temporary transit accommodations or received a monthly rent allowance. Eligible occupants are provided an advance rent of Rs 25,000 per month for 11 months.

MHADA aims to complete an additional 3,989 flats by December 2025 across three BDD redevelopment sites: Worli, N.M. Joshi Marg, and Naigaon. Across the 86-acre project footprint, 207 chawls housing 15,593 residents will be redeveloped. The N.M. Joshi Marg site will see 14 rehabilitation buildings with 2,560 units, while Naigaon (Dadar) will feature 20 rehabilitation buildings with 3,344 units.