BDD Chawls in Mumbai have been named after Shiv Sena Supremo late Balasaheb Thackeray, late PM Rajiv Gandhi and NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar.
By Varun Singh
The three BDD chawls spread over Worli, N M Joshi Marg and Naigaum have been renamed by the government of Maharashtra.
Between 1921-1925, a total of 207 ground plus three storey buildings have been constructed at Worli, N M Joshi Marg and Naigaum. Each building has 80 residential units. There are also slum-like constructions, stalls, shops, social/educational institutions.
These BDD chawls are around 96 years old and the government led by Devendra Fadanvis in the year 2016 announced the redevelopment of these chawls.
MHADA has even appointed contractors for the redevelopments of these chawls and work at different stages are going on.
For all these years the chawls that were developed by Bombay Development Department have been known by the locations where they have been located.
The current government for a long time has been planning to rename these chawls after political leaders and finally on Friday the government’s housing department came out with a resolution.
The GR passed on June 3, 2022 by the housing department read, “Currently the redevelopment work of BDD chawls at Worli, N M Joshi Marg, and Naigaum is in progress. Between the years 1921-1925 these buildings were built by the Bombay Development Department and hence they got to be known as BDD chawls. Since these chawls were being redeveloped the minister for housing during the assembly session in 2022 announced the changing of the names. Hence the names have been change.”
The new names are as follows
BDD Chawl Worli: Late Balasaheb Thackeray Nagar
BDD Chawl N M Joshi Marg: Late Rajiv Gandhi Nagar
BDD Chawl Naigaum: Sharad Pawar Nagar
BDD chawls are a synonym to the middle class population’s history of Mumbai, The chawls have a rich history and a culture which can be termed as the melting pot of different identities still thrives in Central Mumbai.
The most important aspect of BDD chawls is, that it is spread over 92 acre of prime land in Mumbai. There are a total of 195 chawls in Worli, Naigaon and NM Joshi Marg. There also exists few BDD chawls in Sewree.
Currently MHADA is redeveloping the BDD chawls in the three locations.
N M Joshi Marg, Lower Parel
Chawls: 32
Tenants: 2,560
Funds: Rs 2,460 crore+
Tender Won by: Shapoorij Pallonji
Naigaon
Chawls: 42
Tenants: 9,869
Funds required: Rs2,800+ crore
Tender won by: L&T
Worli:
Chawls: 121
Tenants: 9,689
Funds Required: Rs 10,700 crore
Tender Won by: Tata Capacite
Also Read: BDD Naigaon Back On Track With L&T
