Naigaon BDD Redevelopment: 423 Policemen’s Dream Homes Turn Reality Under MHADA’s Visionary Initiative

In a landmark moment for Mumbai’s urban renewal story, IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal, Vice President and CEO of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), has overseen the successful completion of five rehabilitated buildings under the Naigaon BDD Redevelopment Project. This achievement marks a major milestone in the city’s housing transformation, delivering long-awaited homes to the very people who safeguard its streets.

On Wednesday, November 12, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will hand over the keys to 864 newly constructed houses, out of which 423 are being allotted to serving and retired policemen. For thousands of police personnel who have dedicated decades to public safety, this moment represents not just a change of address, but the realization of a dream long deferred.

A Historic Step in Urban Transformation

The Naigaon BDD (Bombay Development Directorate) Redevelopment Project, spearheaded by MHADA’s Mumbai Board, is one of Maharashtra’s most ambitious housing renewal initiatives. It seeks to transform the century-old BDD chawls, once symbols of working-class Mumbai, into modern, livable, and dignified housing clusters.

The construction of five rehabilitated buildings, now completed, represents the first visible fruit of years of careful planning, coordination, and administrative perseverance. Under the visionary guidance of IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal, MHADA has emphasized not only construction speed but also structural quality, civic infrastructure, and community integration.

With these five buildings complete, 864 families, including 423 policemen, will now move into spacious 500-square-foot apartments, each designed to offer improved safety, ventilation, and amenities. These homes, priced at Rs 15 lakh, reaffirm MHADA’s mission to make urban housing both affordable and aspirational.

A Long Struggle for the Protectors of the City

For decades, Mumbai’s police families, many of whom lived in cramped and dilapidated BDD chawls, have fought for dignified housing. Policemen stationed across the three major BDD chawls of Worli, N.M. Joshi Marg, and Naigaon have continuously demanded fair rehabilitation under redevelopment plans.

Their struggle was far from easy. The demand to provide housing for 2,250 retired and serving police personnel was met with years of petitions, marches, and even court battles. Families appealed to legislators, ministers, and civic leaders, insisting that those who serve the city should not have to live in its most neglected spaces.

MHADA’s decision to allocate 500-square-foot homes to police personnel for a concessional rate of Rs 15 lakh stands as a testament to responsive governance. It recognizes not just a housing need, but a moral and institutional responsibility toward the city’s frontline workers.

As one police representative remarked, “We protested, we marched, we went to court, but we never lost hope. Today, that fight has turned into fulfillment.” This collective perseverance has now found tangible expression through the Naigaon BDD Redevelopment Project.

Administrative Resolve and Visionary Execution

The transformation of Naigaon’s BDD chawls into modern residential towers was not merely a construction exercise, it was a complex, multi-layered urban reform challenge. Issues of land clearance, resident eligibility, inter-departmental coordination, and legal approvals required meticulous oversight.

Under IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal’s leadership, MHADA’s Mumbai Board tackled these challenges with precision and empathy. The focus remained on two parallel goals: expediting project completion while ensuring that no stakeholder was left behind in the process.

The result is evident. The newly completed buildings, each equipped with modern infrastructure and civic amenities, have now received Occupancy Certificates (OC), clearing the way for formal handovers. The symbolic key distribution ceremony by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will mark the beginning of a new chapter for hundreds of families.

The project also highlights the growing alignment between MHADA and Maharashtra’s broader urban policy framework, particularly in the domains of sustainable redevelopment, citizen participation, and affordable homeownership.

The Economics of Dignity: Housing Policemen for Rs 15 Lakh

 Perhaps the most striking feature of the Naigaon BDD project is its economic accessibility. For the first time, police personnel in Mumbai will own 500-square-foot homes for Rs 15 lakh, a figure almost unthinkable in the city’s real estate landscape, where average property prices hover between Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 per square foot according to Knight Frank India’s 2024 data.

This initiative bridges the affordability gap by combining public land utilization, cross-subsidization, and strategic redevelopment models. It underscores how policy innovation, when backed by administrative will, can directly improve the lives of public servants.

Moreover, MHADA’s structured payment mechanism and digital application system have made the process transparent and efficient. With occupancy now secured for the first batch of homes, plans are already underway to allocate the remaining eligible policemen their houses in subsequent phases.

Beyond Walls and Keys: A Vision for Inclusive Urbanism

The success of the Naigaon BDD Redevelopment Project extends beyond physical infrastructure, it is about restoring dignity and stability to a vital section of society. Policemen, who often live away from families due to space constraints or poor conditions, will now experience a secure, permanent home base within the city they serve.

The move also aligns with MHADA’s long-term vision of transforming Mumbai’s aging housing stock through inclusive redevelopment that balances modern infrastructure with cultural continuity. Each newly built BDD tower symbolizes a bridge between Mumbai’s industrial past and its urban future, a testament to what planned public housing can achieve.

Leadership That Builds Legacies

At the heart of this transformation lies MHADA’s commitment to both institutional transparency and human-centric development. The successful execution of the Naigaon project under IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal’s guidance reflects how public agencies can reclaim trust through tangible delivery, not just promises.

By integrating modern project management systems, citizen communication platforms, and digital monitoring, MHADA has established a replicable model for other state housing authorities. The initiative redefines governance not as bureaucracy, but as public service with purpose.

 

A Moment of Pride, A Model for the Future

As the keys change hands on November 12, the moment will stand as a symbol of perseverance, partnership, and progress. For 423 policemen and their families, it is a deeply personal triumph. For MHADA and Maharashtra, it is a validation of a policy path that values people over politics and results over rhetoric.

The Naigaon BDD Redevelopment Project demonstrates what can be achieved when administrative vision, political will, and citizen resilience converge. It is a story of renewal, not just of buildings, but of faith in public institutions.
In a city that never sleeps, the protectors who keep it safe will finally sleep under roofs they can call their own. And that is what real development looks like, built on gratitude, governance, and genuine human progress.