Transit Camps as Civic Infrastructure: Reimagining Temporary Housing under Sanjeev Jaiswal

From forgotten holding zones to essential urban touchpoints, MHADA is transforming how Mumbai sees its transit camps. With a citywide biometric survey now underway, the authority is reimagining temporary housing as a cornerstone of civic planning—led with data, dignity, and intent.
In a major step toward transparency and inclusive governance, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has launched a biometric verification drive across its transit camps in Mumbai and the suburbs. The aim is to clearly identify eligible residents, eliminate unauthorized tenancies, and streamline housing benefits.
This transformative initiative is being implemented under the leadership of IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal, who currently serves as the Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of MHADA. The move isn’t just administrative—it’s a quiet reform that ties data to dignity and housing to human rights.

Understanding the Biometric Survey: What, Where, and Why

Launched through MHADA’s Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB), the biometric drive began in Sahakar Nagar, Chembur, where over 195 residents have already completed their Aadhaar-based e-KYC registration. The survey will soon extend to transit camps and rental housing colonies across Mumbai.
The survey verifies:

• Identity via Aadhaar
• Legal occupancy status
• Category of residency under the 2019 Government Resolution

By making this data central to the process, MHADA ensures that every future action—rehabilitation, resettlement, or redevelopment—is backed by verified records.

 

The 2019 GR: A Forgotten Framework, Finally Enforced

As per the Government Resolution (GR) dated September 13, 2019, residents of transit camps are divided into three categories:

• Category A: Original allottees officially relocated to transit camps
• Category B: Individuals with legally transferred tenancy rights
• Category C: Unauthorized residents occupying without formal claim

Though the classification existed, it remained unimplemented—until now. Through this biometric push, MHADA is enforcing a framework that had long sat dormant, marking a shift in the MHADA transit policy from reactive to proactive.
 

Reframing Transit Camps: From Stopgap to System
 

Transit camps have long been treated as temporary patches in housing policy. But for many residents, they became long-term homes—built without long-term rights.
This biometric drive reframes these camps as part of Mumbai’s civic infrastructure:

 

• They are now part of MHADA’s data ecosystem
• Residents are formally counted and recognized
• Future planning is grounded in real numbers, not outdated paperwork

More than a clean-up, it’s a redefinition of what it means to be seen in a system that often overlooks the informal.
 

Policy Meets Precision: A Jaiswal-Led Reform
 

What sets this initiative apart is its execution. Rather than broad declarations, it relies on ground-level verification, community participation, and time-bound action. This approach fits into what many are calling the Sanjeev Jaiswal housing model—one defined by:
 

• Quiet but consistent reforms
• Real-time data at the centre of decision-making
• A housing policy that moves from paper to pavement

With this biometric mapping, MHADA ensures that housing entitlements go to those who truly qualify—reducing the legal deadlock that often stalls redevelopment.
 

The Human Impact: Restoring Urban Dignity

For residents, this isn’t just a survey—it’s recognition. A biometric record means:

• They won’t be left out when the time for formal housing comes
• They are part of the city's planning—not outside of it
• Their urban dignity is protected

In a city where tenancy often walks a legal tightrope, being counted is the first step toward being included.