In Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has introduced a ground-breaking Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) housing concept with the goal of raising the bar for equitable housing and urban regeneration. With its contemporary facilities and well-considered design, the Shreeji Sharan pilot project on Link Road in Kandivali (West) has completely changed the way people think about SRA housing.
Standing 30 storeys tall, Shreeji Sharan now houses around 700 economically disadvantaged families, offering them not just shelter, but a better quality of life. Each apartment spans 300 square feet and comes equipped with access to a gym—just one of many features that reflect a shift toward dignity in housing. The building includes facilities such as a wellness zone, yoga room, spa, creche, podcast recording studio, library, guest rooms, a reception lobby, and podium-level parking. A primary hospital and community hall are also integrated into the complex, promoting holistic well-being for residents.
This model mirrors the design and lifestyle elements typically found in premium private residential projects, now brought into the realm of slum rehabilitation. It marks a significant departure from earlier approaches that focused purely on shelter, aiming instead to create sustainable and inclusive communities.
Feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the upliftment in their living standards. BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar highlighted how projects like Shreeji Sharan are helping change the longstanding stigma attached to SRA housing. The initiative was undertaken as a part of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment by Akyam Group, whose builder Mehul Sanghvi emphasized the project’s dual focus: providing homes and reshaping community perceptions.
Encouraged by the model’s success, the state administration is creating a detailed plan to duplicate such initiatives in Mumbai and perhaps even expand them to other regions of the nation. This strategy has the potential to revolutionise the way urban rehabilitation is perceived and carried out in India if it is successfully put into practice.
Source: India Today
