The Mill Workers Struggle Committee has urged the Maharashtra government to immediately acquire available mill land and transfer it to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), claiming the move could enable the construction of around 7,000 additional homes for eligible mill workers in Mumbai.
According to the committee, only 2,708 houses can currently be built on the land already earmarked for mill workers, of which 161 units are under construction. A senior official from the housing department has reportedly confirmed the figures submitted by the committee.
Mumbai has 58 textile mills, including 32 privately owned mills, 25 under the National Textile Corporation (NTC) and one under the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation (MSTC). Redevelopment proposals for 11 mills are yet to receive municipal approval, delaying the determination of MHADA’s share of land.
Under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034, MHADA has rights over land in several mills and has already taken possession of 34.45 acres across 33 mill properties. These parcels have enabled the construction of 13,453 homes, distributed through lotteries conducted in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
However, the committee said several land parcels remain unavailable despite their housing potential. It alleged that the NTC has not transferred plots at mills, including India United No. 4, Jam Mill, Madhusudan Mill, and Sitaram Mill, where 986 homes could be built.
Praveen Ghag, Chairman of the Sangharsh Samiti, said that the vacant land at Khatav Mill in Borivali alone could accommodate 4,000 to 5,000 homes under the revised development regulations. He also claimed that a 2014 government decision to exchange seven small mill plots for a consolidated plot at Lalbaug has not been implemented.
Praveen Yerunkar, Secretary of the Sangharsh Samiti, said nearly 7,000 additional homes could be constructed if the remaining plots are handed over to MHADA. The committee has urged the Chief Minister to decide during the current legislative session, stating that over 1.11 lakh eligible mill workers are still awaiting housing.
Source: Loksatta
