Around 14,000 cessed buildings located in South Mumbai, most of which are in a highly dangerous condition.
As Mumbai braces for yet another monsoon season, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has issued an urgent warning regarding 96 buildings deemed highly vulnerable to collapse during heavy rains. These structures, already classified as “cessed buildings,” pose a significant threat to the safety of approximately 3,000 residents, who have now been advised to relocate to safer accommodations before the rains arrive.
This pre-monsoon alert is part of MHADA’s broader initiative to address the city’s long-standing problem of dilapidated and dangerous buildings.
To tackle the long-standing issue of dilapidated buildings in Mumbai, the government has decided to carry out redevelopment of dangerous buildings through a government agency. The MHADA has been assigned the responsibility of redeveloping not just cessed buildings but also non-cessed structures facing similar threats.
To implement this, the state government has instructed MHADA to prepare a report on how redevelopment can be carried out under MHADA Act sections 79(A) and 91(A) for non-cessed buildings. It’s worth noting that there are nearly 14,000 cessed buildings in South Mumbai, most of which are in a highly dangerous condition. Redevelopment work on many of these buildings had been stalled for years.
In response, the state government amended the law last year, giving MHADA the authority to redevelop these buildings. Following the change, MHADA has begun exercising its powers and has already issued notices to hundreds of buildings. It has also started the process of acquiring some of these properties.
Redevelopment Procedure Under the Law
Under the revised law, MHADA first gives the owner of the land an opportunity to submit a redevelopment proposal. If the owner fails to do so within six months, the chance is given to the tenants residing in the building. If the tenants also fail to submit a proposal within the next six months, MHADA can then take over the building and initiate redevelopment on its own. During the redevelopment process, residents of the building are provided with alternative housing.
Thousands of dangerous buildings exist across Mumbai. Many properties face redevelopment hurdles due to private ownership issues or legal disputes. In such cases, even the government cannot do anything. With the number of unsafe buildings increasing each year, the government is working on framing laws to remove legal obstacles and ensure safer living conditions for the city’s residents.
