MUMBAI: In a shift from building highways and flyovers to rebuilding neighbourhoods, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has set up a specialised slum implementation unit to drive 45 slum redevelopment projects across Mumbai as part of the state’s “Slum Free Mumbai” mission.
The state-owned corporation, best known for executing major road and expressway projects, has been brought into the housing sector to ensure time-bound completion of large, stalled or complex slum schemes. Under the mandate given by the Maharashtra government, MSRDC will redevelop 97.713 acres spanning 24,226 slum tenements across key pockets of the city.
The projects are spread across Wadala, Sion, Vile Parle, Bandra, Ghatkopar, Antop Hill, Jogeshwari, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali and Dahisar.
A senior MSRDC official said the corporation’s earlier role in slum projects was limited to rehabilitating project-affected persons in infrastructure works. “This is the first time MSRDC will be handling housing redevelopment in its entirety, from feasibility to execution monitoring,” the official said.
An eight-member core team, comprising architects, a GIS expert, civil engineer, finance analyst, land and survey officer, socio-development officer and urban planning specialists, will assess feasibility, financial structuring, regulatory compliance and beneficiary verification.
The unit will draft Expressions of Interest for cluster-based redevelopment, prepare Memoranda of Understanding with concerned authorities, appoint consultants, evaluate masterplans and oversee approvals, including RERA registration. It will also structure Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), monitor contractors and ensure documentation and compliance.
The state government has roped in multiple public agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Thane Municipal Corporation, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), CIDCO and MHADA, to jointly accelerate the slum-free agenda after several privately-led projects stalled due to financial and regulatory hurdles.
Separately, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has already initiated redevelopment of Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar and Kamraj Nagar in Ghatkopar, a ₹1,299 crore project that will construct 4,345 rehabilitation units in 11 towers over three years.