Planning authority status
MHADA gets status of planning authority: In a bid to fulfil the promise of housing for all by 2024, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) led state government has given planning authority status to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority(MHADA) in May 2018. Due to this, the redevelopment projects will speed up believes the government generating housing stocks for the citizens.
1,384 affordable houses
MHADA calls lottery for 1,384 affordable houses: As compared to the previous year, this year the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) had reserved more houses in the economically weaker section category.
Due to this, the affordable housing lottery called in November for 1,384 houses ranging between Rs 14 lakh and Rs 5.80crore received a whopping response with nearly 1.45 applications participated. Moreover, for the three most expensive houses at plush Cumballa Hill and Grant Road, MHADA received lucky winners.
Patra Chawl plea dismissed
NCLT dismisses plea of Patra Chawl developer claiming the rights on 40 acres land: In a major blow to Goregaon’s Patra Chawl developer, Guruashish Construction Private Ltd claimed the ownership of 40 acres land on which the Chawl stood.
However, National Company Law Tribunal(NCLT) dismissed the plea based on no merits and removed the roadblock stating that the land belongs only to MHADA, resolving the long-pending dispute. With this Development, MHADA believes the redevelopment project of 675 Chawl tenements will speed up.
MMRDA’s Palghar extension
Keeping in mind the potential growth in Palghar taluka due to the proposed bullet train, the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also the Chairman of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) extended the limits.
Widening the boundaries means the scope of MMRDA as the planning agency has also doubled in form of acting as a special planning agency including entire Palghar Taluka, Alibaugh, Pen, Panvel and Khalapur in Raigad district. The authority believes the decision will help in bringing planned Development in these regions. CM’s war-room
War-Room and Innovation Center at MMRDA was inaugurated: Much on the guidelines of a war-room that is set up in
Mantralaya by Chief Minister, War Room’s need was felt by the Metropolitan Commissioner keeping in mind the large number of projects undertaken by MMRDA. According to MMRDA, the war room will not only streamline mega projects information but also help discuss and take quick decisions with regard to any emergencies. In the innovation centre, critical research activities to pave the way towards total development of the city and its metropolitan region will be undertaken.
MMRDA’s agency to operate Metro
Since MMRDA has undertaken various Metro projects in Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed MMRDA to form its own autonomous body. This agency will look after all maintenance and operations instead of hiring another agency.
MTHL civil work starts
Mumbai Trans Harbour sea Link (MTHL) civil work starts: After 14 years of delay since it first attempted to undertake the civil work in 2004, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) finally managed to commence the work successfully only in 2018. The project, which began in March, is being implemented in three civil packages. The MTHL also known as the Sewri-Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Link when completed would be the longest sea bridge in India. The Sealink will be connecting Mumbai with Navi Mumbai.
On-going MMRDA Metro work
The two Metro corridors – 18.5-km Dahisar-W to DN Nagar Metro-2A (Rs.6,410 crore) and 16.5-km Andheri-E to Dahisar-E Metro-7 Corridor (Rs.6,208 crore) – are being implemented on a war footing. Both projects are looking at completion of civil construction in 2019.
The Authority has also begun the construction of the 23.5-km DN Nagar to Mankhurd Metro-2B (Rs.10,986 crore) and 32-km Wadala-Ghatkopar-Mulund-Thane-Kasarvadavali Metro-4 Corridor (Rs.14,549 crore).
The work on 14.5-km Swami Samarth Nagar-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg-Vikhroli Metro-6 corridor (Rs.6,672 crore) has also started this year. Apart from this, the Authority has also approved Detailed Project Reports for Gaimukh to Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road) Metro-10 (Rs.4,476/- crore), Wadala to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Metro-11 (Rs.8,739 crore) and Kalyan-Taloja Metro-12 (Rs.4,132/- crore) corridors. All the three DPRs will now be recommended to the State Government for approval.
MMRDA releases heritage map
MMRDA released series of heritage maps, neglected or not known by many for easy access: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in 2018 released a series of heritage circuit maps covering heritage properties (built/natural) within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The task was commissioned by the MMR-Heritage Conservation Society.
These maps represent perhaps the first such attempt to record and make accessible to the public heritage properties and natural sites in the MMR, several of them relatively unknown and neglected.
MMRDA launches new logo
The New logo of MMRDA was launched by the Chief Minister in 2018. The logo was changed since the authority has been given the status of implementing agency by the state government in view of undertaking various infrastructure projects.
Over the new logo launch, CM Fadnavis expressed, “The change in Logo was pertinent in the wake of the changed and enhanced scope of work undertaken by MMRDA over a period of time. It conveys the diverse development activities MMRDA undertakes today and the way forward the Authority has planned.”
Monorail ops with MMRDA
MMRDA takes over the operation of Mumbai Monorail: The operations of the Mumbai Monorail took over by the MMRDA after the appointed agencies –Larsen&Toubro and SCOMI Engineering (LTSE) contract were terminated after it failed to fulfil the contractual obligation as per MMRDA. The mass transit system was incurring huge losses. Following, taking over the entire monorail operations, now MMRDA aims to start the Phase-2(Wadala – Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk) of Monorail. The authority believes once the operations of Phase-2 will be commissioned, the commuters and the revenue will be increased eventually.