July 14, 2025:Residents of the Patra Chawl redevelopment project in Goregaon, Mumbai, have announced a protest against the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), scheduled for July 15. Their primary demand is the issuance of Permanent Alternate Accommodation (PAA) agreements prior to possession of their new homes. While MHADA has offered to issue allotment letters, residents argue that without the PAA — a vital legal document outlining flat numbers, apartment sizes, and conferring legal protection — they have no formal guarantee to their rightful flats.
In addition to this, residents have raised concerns over construction quality, citing instances of water leakage and seepage. A structural audit conducted by the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) reportedly confirms these issues. “We won’t take possession until MHADA addresses the seepage problem. The flats are not in a liveable condition,” said Naresh Sawant, a member of the tenants’ committee.
Although a housing lottery was held in April 2025, the majority of tenants have refused to accept possession due to several unresolved matters — including the non-issuance of PAA agreements, continued structural flaws, and unpaid rent arrears.
The redevelopment of Patra Chawl, spread over 47 acres, was initiated in 2008. MHADA had appointed Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of HDIL, to undertake the project and rehouse 672 families. As per the agreement, a portion of the constructed area was to be handed over to MHADA, while the remaining would be sold on the open market.
However, the developer ceased rent payments in 2014, breaching the contract. This led MHADA to terminate the agreement in 2018 and take over the project. Despite multiple attempts to seek a response, MHADA officials remained unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
Source: Mid-day
