In a move that has triggered fresh outrage among housing activists and middle-class Mumbaikars, the Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board (MHADA) has quietly reserved 610 out of 1,221 tenements in its flagship Kannamwar Nagar–Vikhroli (East) project exclusively for the Higher Income Group (HIG) — families earning above ₹12 lakh per annum. This means nearly 50% of one of the biggest housing pockets in the ongoing lottery is now completely out of reach for the most of the applicants.
Across the entire computerised lottery of 2,640 tenements announced on March 30, 2026, the allocation now stands as follows:
- Higher Income Group (HIG): 839 tenements → 31.8% of the total
- Economically Weaker Section (EWS): 145 tenements → 5.5%
- Lower Income Group (LIG): 858 tenements → 32.5%
- Middle Income Group (MIG): 798 tenements → 30.2%
MHADA was originally established to provide genuine affordable housing to the common man in India’s most expensive real estate market. Yet, year after year, the board is being accused of tilting the scales in favour of higher-income buyers while pricing out the very sections it was mandated to serve. The latest decision on the Kannamwar Nagar project has only amplified that criticism.
Under the revised scheme, the 610 HIG-exclusive flats fall under new Code Nos. 538-A and 539-A. The remaining tenements in the same project (originally under Codes 538 and 539) continue to be open for other categories. To “enable maximum participation”, MHADA has extended the online application deadline till 11:59 p.m. on 28 May 2026 and the earnest money deposit deadline till 11:59 p.m. on 29 May 2026 (or bank working hours via RTGS/NEFT). The lottery system will reflect these changes from 12 noon today (14 May 2026).
Even after the much-publicised 7.5% price reduction, the Kannamwar Nagar tenements remain staggeringly expensive for Mumbai’s reality:
- 240 tenements each in Building No. 2 A & B (Codes 538 & 538-A) are now priced between ₹1.34 crore and ₹1.36 crore.
- 741 tenements in Building No. 3 A, B & C (Codes 539 & 539-A) are priced in the range of ₹1.34 crore to ₹1.37 crore.
One free parking slot is being offered per allottee, but that concession does little to change the ground reality. And this is not just a HIG problem. Several LIG flats in the same lottery are reportedly priced as high as ₹2.09 crore — a figure that would make even many upper-middle-class families blink.
The full revised schedule is as follows:
- Online applications close: 28 May 2026, 11:59 p.m.
- Earnest money deposit deadline: 29 May 2026, 11:59 p.m. (RTGS/NEFT till bank working hours)
- Provisional list of applicants: 10 June 2026, 3:00 p.m.
- Last date for claims & objections: 12 June 2026, 3:00 p.m.
- Final list of accepted applications: 16 June 2026, 3:00 p.m.
- Date, time and venue of the computerised draw: to be announced later on the official website.
The March 30 announcement had originally offered 2,640 flats across Kannamwar Nagar–Vikhroli (East), Patrachawl Siddharth Nagar–Goregaon, Old Magathane–Borivali, Gorai–Borivali, Subhash Nagar–Chembur, Gandhinagar–Bandra, Pant Nagar–Ghatkopar, Girgaon, Wadala, Kopri–Powai, Mazgaon, Tunga Powai, Lokmanya Nagar–Dadar, Pahadi Goregaon, Antop Hill–Wadala and other locations.
MHADA has repeatedly appealed to citizens to apply only through the official website https://housing.mhada.gov.in or the IHLMS 2.0 Integrated MHADA Housing Lottery System mobile app (available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store). The board has also warned against middlemen and fraudsters offering “guaranteed” allotments and has asked people to report any such attempts to the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer or the Deputy Chief Officer (Marketing), Mumbai Board. Helpline number for application-related queries is 022-69468100.
Applicants are advised to read the detailed information booklet uploaded on the MHADA website before applying.
In Mumbai, where even a modest 1BHK in the suburbs can cost upwards of ₹1 crore in the open market, MHADA homes were once considered the last realistic hope for the salaried middle class, the working poor and first-time home buyers. When the very agency tasked with affordable housing starts allocating nearly one-third of its inventory to the HIG segment and prices LIG units in the ₹2-crore range, the question that refuses to go away is simple: Where exactly is the common man supposed to go?
The numbers speak louder than any press release — and right now, they are speaking against MHADA.
Also Read: MHADA Conducts Lottery for 943 Homes
