The Mumbai Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has taken action against 561 developers linked to stalled slum redevelopment projects, removing them from schemes that had remained incomplete or inactive for extended periods.
The move is being seen as a significant step towards reviving long-delayed rehabilitation projects and creating opportunities for new developers to take over schemes that have failed to progress.
According to SRA CEO Dr Mahendra Kalyankar, the action was carried out under Section 13(2) of the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971. Developers whose projects had remained stalled were removed, paving the way for fresh redevelopment efforts.
561 Projects Face Action
The SRA records show that the affected projects span several years. Action was taken against developers of 25 projects in 2021-22, 46 in 2022-23, 19 in 2023-24, 243 in 2024-25, 154 in 2025-26 and 74 projects up to August 2026.
Several of these schemes had either not commenced, been abandoned midway or remained suspended for years. In some cases, slum residents were reportedly left without rehabilitation homes and faced difficulties receiving rental compensation after vacating existing structures.
With the developers now removed, the authority can begin the process of identifying new agencies to take over the affected schemes. The objective is to restart construction and move rehabilitation projects towards completion.
Relief for Waiting Slum Residents
Mumbai has a large pipeline of slum rehabilitation schemes, but delays have often left eligible occupants waiting for permanent homes for years. Long-stalled projects can also create uncertainty for residents who have already vacated their original settlements in anticipation of redevelopment.
The latest action is expected to provide a pathway for such projects to be reassigned and brought back into the development cycle.
The SRA will now have to undertake further procedural steps before new developers can be appointed. These could include assessing the status of individual projects, determining the eligibility of replacement developers and establishing the conditions under which stalled schemes will resume.
SRA Sets 2030 Housing Target
The developer-removal drive comes as the SRA pursues an ambitious target of completing and handing over five lakh rehabilitation homes by 2030.
The authority’s latest action signals a tougher approach towards developers who fail to move projects forward. By clearing stalled schemes and creating scope for new developers to enter, the SRA aims to accelerate the delivery of rehabilitation housing.
For thousands of slum residents caught in projects that have remained inactive for years, the immediate priority will be seeing these schemes move from administrative action to actual construction.
The success of the initiative will ultimately depend on how quickly new developers are appointed, approvals are secured and construction resumes on the ground.
Source: Loksatta
