October 11, 2025:
Maharashtra Congress Chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Friday (October 10, 2025) launched a campaign advocating for “Affordable Housing”, accusing the BJP-led state government of prioritising builders over citizens and “selling Mumbai” under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He urged political parties to adopt an “agitational role” to prevent what he described as a “historical mistake”.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Sapkal called for the release of a White Paper detailing Mumbai land allotments and announced that the Congress Party would host a Housing Rights Conference on Sunday (October 12 2025) at Tilak Bhavan in Dadar.
“The housing needs of ordinary citizens are being ignored. Property prices in Mumbai and across Maharashtra have soared beyond the reach of common people,” he said. Mr. Sapkal criticised the 33/33/33 formula for mill land redevelopment, claiming that the 33% of land designated for public use is instead being allocated to industrialists, to the detriment of the public.
The Congress campaign is being conducted in collaboration with 25 different organisations to ensure that such land is used for affordable housing rather than commercial interests.
Highlighting delays in housing delivery, Mr. Sapkal said, “Out of 1,10,000 promised homes for mill workers, only 15,000 have been delivered, with the remaining land handed over to industrialists.” He cited the Dharavi redevelopment project and the newly inaugurated Navi Mumbai airport as examples of government policies favouring business interests over public welfare.
He specifically criticised Chief Minister Fadnavis for allotting a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) plot in Mumbai to an individual named Kambhoj, alleging preferential treatment for private actors.
The Housing Rights Conference on October 12 aims to mobilise citizens, activists, and political stakeholders to demand affordable housing solutions and greater transparency in land allotments, highlighting the urgent need to address Mumbai’s persistent housing crisis.
Source: The Hindu
