In a transformative step towards addressing Mumbai’s urban housing challenge, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), under the leadership of IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal, has launched the city’s largest cluster redevelopment initiative to date—targeting the construction of 45,000 new homes across seven major layouts.

This move marks a critical shift in how public housing is approached in Mumbai, moving away from fragmented development and towards a unified, cluster-based model that ensures both infrastructure and community growth go hand-in-hand.

The Vision: One Mumbai, One Redevelopment Blueprint

At the heart of this bold initiative is a commitment to create inclusive, livable, and future-ready urban spaces. The project will cover aging MHADA layouts located in areas like Motilal Nagar (Goregaon), Abhyudaya Nagar (Parel), Adarsh Nagar (Worli), GTB Nagar (Sion), Bandra Reclamation, and cessed buildings in Dadar, Mahim, and Prabhadevi.

“This is not just about rebuilding structures—it’s about restoring hope and dignity. Our aim is to offer people better, safer, and more connected lives,” said IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal, Vice President and CEO of MHADA, while unveiling the plan.

Aligned with MMR 2030: Scaling for the Future

This cluster housing initiative directly contributes to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s 2030 vision, which aims to create 30 lakh housing units, with MHADA committing 8 lakh homes under its jurisdiction. The current plan to deliver 45,000 homes is the largest phase yet, setting the tone for what large-scale urban renewal can achieve.

Why Cluster Redevelopment?

Unlike isolated projects that often result in uneven infrastructure, cluster redevelopment takes a community-first approach:

• Integrated planning of roads, sanitation, gardens, and schools
• Greater open space and green areas
• Unified execution timelines and better coordination with civic bodies
• Avoidance of legal and logistical delays that fragmented projects often face

This shift ensures not just faster delivery but also better quality of life for thousands of families.

Technology-Driven Transparency

To maintain transparency, MHADA will deploy GPS-enabled tracking systems and digital dashboards to allow residents, contractors, and civic agencies to monitor progress in real time. The use of DigiLocker-like services will give citizens access to all official documents—from lease agreements to redevelopment permissions—through a centralized digital portal.

Learning from the Past, Building for the Future

Past redevelopment efforts in the city, such as the delayed Patra Chawl project, have shown the dangers of poor coordination and oversight. Sanjeev Jaiswal emphasized that this initiative is structured to avoid such setbacks, with legal frameworks and strict timelines built in at every stage.

“We’ve turned lessons into policies. This new model is built on accountability and clarity, not promises,” he added.

Public Response & Participation

Residents and housing societies across the selected layouts have welcomed the move, with many seeing it as a long-overdue solution to living in dilapidated conditions. MHADA is conducting awareness drives and stakeholder meetings to ensure residents are active participants in the planning process.

A National Model in the Making

This cluster redevelopment push could serve as a template for other cities battling similar issues of unsafe housing, congested infrastructure, and outdated planning.

“Mumbai deserves a housing system that matches its global aspirations,” Jaiswal concluded. “We’re not just building homes—we’re creating a better city, one community at a time.”