6,500 MHADA Homes Offered to Mill Workers in Khoni-Shirdhon

MHADA Explores Affordable Housing Option for Mill Workers

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has offered around 6,500 vacant homes in Khoni-Shirdhon to mill workers as part of efforts to address the long-pending housing needs of more than one lakh workers.

The proposal was discussed during a meeting between the MHADA Konkan Board and representatives of mill workers' organizations. However, the workers' groups have not yet given their final approval. MHADA is now waiting for their decision before moving ahead with the proposal.

Homes Could Be Available for Rs 9.5 Lakh

The homes have been developed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and are located in Khoni and Shirdhon under the MHADA Konkan Board.

The original price of these homes is around Rs 17.5 lakh. MHADA is examining whether various government subsidies and available benefits can be combined to bring the price down to around Rs 9.5 lakh for eligible mill workers.

Konkan Board Chief Officer Dr. Vishal Rathod said the affordable housing option has been presented to the workers' organizations and that discussions are still underway.

Thousands of Homes Remain Unsold

MHADA has already conducted lotteries for the PMAY homes at Khoni and Shirdhon more than once. Despite these efforts, a large number of homes remain unsold.

The authority later made the homes available on a first-come, first-served basis. Even after this move, approximately 6,500 homes remain vacant.

The availability of 350-square-foot homes has become an important issue for MHADA as the authority looks for ways to put these unused units to productive use.

Forest Department Also Interested in These Homes

At the same time, the Forest Department has approached MHADA for vacant homes to rehabilitate people living in unauthorized settlements inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park area.

The department has expressed interest in purchasing the vacant homes. Based on this request, the MHADA Konkan Board has submitted a proposal involving around 6,500 homes in Khoni and Shirdhon.

The estimated purchase value of these homes is between Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 1,100 crore. If approved, the homes could be used to relocate eligible residents from encroached areas of the national park.

However, the Forest Department has not yet given its final approval to the proposal.

Mill Workers' Housing Issue Remains a Priority

Finding affordable housing solutions for more than one lakh mill workers remains a major challenge. Following directions from the state government, MHADA is examining different options to address the issue.

MHADA Vice President and CEO IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal has been leading the authority's broader efforts to improve housing availability and address important redevelopment and housing-related issues.

As part of this process, the 6,500 vacant PMAY homes in Khoni-Shirdhon have now been presented as one possible solution for mill workers.

Trade Unions Give Mixed Response

Representatives of mill workers' organizations attended a meeting held on Friday, where MHADA shared details about the homes, including their location, size and original pricing.

The response from the organizations has been mixed. Some groups have shown interest in the proposal, while others have raised concerns about accepting the homes.

No final decision has been taken so far.

Final Decision Expected Soon

MHADA wants to sell the vacant homes as soon as possible. The authority is therefore waiting for a clear decision from both sides.

Dr. Rathod said the homes could be offered to the party that completes the decision-making process first. This means the 6,500 homes could ultimately go to mill workers or be purchased by the Forest Department for rehabilitation.

The coming days are expected to be important as MHADA awaits the final response from mill workers' organizations and further action from the Forest Department.