Residents of ageing cessed properties in Mumbai can seek civic assistance to fix damaged common areas and essential services, with the municipal corporation bearing the cost of eligible work. The facility aims to ease maintenance expenses for residents while addressing minor infrastructure issues.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will fund eligible minor repairs to common areas and external infrastructure, including compound flooring, passages, drainage systems, sewage lines and water pipelines. Residents will not have to pay additional municipal charges for the repair work covered under the provision.
Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents can apply for assistance for the specified repairs under the relevant provision of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act.
Rajeshree Shirwadkar, chairperson of the BMC’s education committee, said the facility could benefit several cessed buildings in the F North ward, particularly in Matunga. Many residents may not be aware that they can seek civic assistance for eligible repair work.
Cessed buildings are older properties, primarily in Mumbai’s island city, for which a repair cess is collected to support maintenance and reconstruction. These buildings often require regular upkeep because of ageing infrastructure.
However, the facility covers minor repairs and does not extend to major structural work. The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), through its Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board, is responsible for the repair and reconstruction of old cessed buildings in the island city.
The provision offers residents a way to address minor maintenance issues in common areas without bearing the full cost of eligible repairs, while major structural concerns continue to be dealt with separately.
Source: Hindustan Times
