Dagdi Chawl in South Mumbai’s Byculla knowns as Don Arun Gawli’s residence is up for redevelopment. MHADA has even given its letter of Intent for the redevelopment.
By Varun Singh
Dagdi chawl located Mumbai’s Byculla, address of Don Arun Gawli is up for redevelopment.
There would hardly be any Mumbaikar who doesn’t know what Dagdi Chawl is and who Arun Gawli is.
MHADA’s Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board Chairman, Vinod Ghosalkar said, “MHADA’s repair board has given its letter of intent for the redevelopment of all the buildings in Dagdi Chawl and soon we will be issuing the NOC for carrying out the redevelopment.”
There are total 10 buildings in Dagdi Chawl redevelopment and Ghosalkar claims that while Gawli owned the eight buildings he even got the tenancy of the remaining two.
In April this year, SquareFeatIndia had got in touch with Geeta Gawli, daughter of Arun Gawli to seek her comment in regards of the redevelopment. However, she then had refused to speak on the redevelopment. Geeta Gawli didn’t respond to calls and messages on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Ghosalkar announced the redevelopment plans of Dagdi Chawl.
According to certain documents accessed by SquareFeatIndia, in December 2020, the Gawli family had signed papers in regards to Dagdi Chawl with a south Mumbai based developer.
Ghosalkar said, MHADA will first ascertain all the eligible tenants of the buildings to prepare the annexure II, and the NOC shall be given to them.
Gawli floated a political party Akhil Bharitya Sena and has presence in Mumbai’s Municipal Corporation where his daughter is a Corporator. In 2004 Arun Gawli was elected to Maharashtra Assembly from the Chinchpokli (now Byculla) constituency.
Gawli joined Mumbai’s underworld in the 70’s with the Byculla Company an underworld gang operated by Rama Naik. Post Naik’s death Arun Gawli took the reins of the gang and operated from his house Dagdi Chawl.
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