The Kamathipura redevelopment project in South Mumbai received a significant boost on Tuesday as the state government outlined a detailed plan for homeowners. The plan promises substantial gains for the residents, marking a decisive step in the city’s largest cluster redevelopment initiative.
According to the newly issued directive by the state housing department, homeowners in Kamathipura will be entitled to a 500-square foot flat for every 50-square meter (539-square foot) plot they own. For plots measuring between 51- to 100-square meters, owners will receive two 500-square foot flats. The allocation increases proportionately, with owners of 151- to 200-square meter plots eligible for four 500-square foot flats, and so forth.This move is expected to alleviate the concerns of many homeowners who had previously opposed the redevelopment project due to uncertainties regarding their benefits. The state housing department’s decision follows demands made by the Kamathipura Redevelopment Committee and has been approved by the high-power committee led by Valsa Nair, Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing Department.“The order has been issued to clarify that the owners will also get their share while giving up their buildings for the project,” a senior housing department official confirmed.
The Kamathipura redevelopment project, approved in January 2023, spans 27.59 acres and will proceed under Development Control Rule 33(9), which governs the reconstruction or redevelopment of cessed buildings and urban renewal schemes in Mumbai’s island city. This project draws parallels to the BDD Chawls redevelopment initiative.Kamathipura, one of Mumbai’s oldest and most densely populated areas, is characterised by its dilapidated housing stock. The area comprises 943 cessed buildings, most over 100 years old, housing 8,238 tenants. Additionally, there are 349 non-cess buildings, 14 religious structures, two schools, and four reserved plots included in the redevelopment plan. Eleven redeveloped buildings by MHADA will also be part of the project. Of the 943 buildings, 180 are in a critical state, and their tenants have already been relocated to transit camps.Most buildings in Kamathipura are privately owned and rented out, with sizes ranging from 60- to 1,614-square feet. The redevelopment project aims to address the long-standing issue of substandard housing in the area.
MHADA, the nodal agency for the project, has appointed a consultant to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) and a request for proposal (RFP). “The DPR and RFP are ready, and we will soon float tenders for the project,” an official from the housing department stated.This initiative is not the first attempt to rejuvenate Kamathipura. In the 1980s, MHADA conducted a comprehensive survey to initiate an urban renewal proposal, but the project stalled due to financial risks. In 2005, a local private developer expressed interest in redeveloping a large part of Kamathipura, as noted in a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.With the current government approval, Kamathipura’s long-awaited transformation appears poised to finally materialise, offering a new lease on life to one of Mumbai’s historic neighbourhoods.
