MUMBAI | September 7, 2026 — Mill workers’ organisations will protest in Lower Parel on Tuesday against a proposal by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to allot 6.17 acres of Century Mill land to a private developer for 30 years. The protest is scheduled for 2 p.m. outside the mill gates.
The workers are demanding that the entire parcel be used to build homes for eligible mill workers and their heirs instead of being leased to a developer. The proposal has recently received approval from the BMC’s improvement committee and is expected to be placed before the civic general body for final approval, according to a report by Loksatta.
The report states that the land is valued at about Rs 13,000 crore, while the proposed allotment would generate Rs 1,300 crore over the 30-year period. These figures have been cited in opposition to the proposal by mill workers’ organisations, which have described the proposed terms as disadvantageous to workers.
The protest is being organised by Girni Kamgar Ekatta. B. K. Ambre, leader of the Sarva Shramik Sangh, said the organisation would oppose the proposal and urged a large number of workers to join the demonstration. The group has also warned that its agitation could be intensified if its demands are not accepted.
Mill workers’ organisations have asked the civic administration to withdraw the proposal and reserve the full Century Mill site for worker housing. They argue that land available for housing mill workers is already limited, while more than 100,000 workers and their heirs are still waiting for homes, according to the report.
Housing for eligible mill workers has previously been built through the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority on portions of former mill land, with allotment conducted through lotteries. More than 16,000 workers have received such homes so far, the report said. Workers’ groups are now demanding that land from mills not yet made available for housing be reserved for that purpose, and that the entire available area at such sites be used for worker housing.
The Century Mill proposal is expected to return to the BMC’s civic general body after its improvement committee approval. The final decision will determine whether the Lower Parel parcel proceeds towards the proposed private-development arrangement or is considered for the housing demand raised by mill workers’ organisations.
