July 18, 2025: Maharashtra’s Industries Minister, Uday Samant, has announced that the state government will introduce new legislation to provide long-awaited relief to tenants affected by stalled redevelopment projects, particularly in Mumbai’s suburbs. Speaking in the state legislative assembly on Thursday, Samant stated, “By the next session—the winter session in Nagpur—the government will bring a law that will put an end to such practices.”
The issue was raised through a calling attention motion by BJP MLAs Yogesh Sagar and Mihir Kotecha, who highlighted the plight of tenants left in limbo after their buildings were demolished and redevelopment works halted. Many such residents have not received agreed rental compensation and are facing prolonged delays without any progress on site.
During the discussion, Sagar pointed out the disparity in regulatory frameworks between Mumbai’s Island City and the suburbs. He explained that in the Island City, when landlords and developers fail to redevelop cess buildings, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) steps in. In such cases, MHADA takes over the project while safeguarding the landlord’s share. However, no similar provision exists for suburban redevelopment projects, leaving many tenants without legal recourse.
Sagar, who represents the Charkop constituency, noted that he has been raising this concern since 2018. “It’s now 2025—seven years have passed and there has been no concrete progress. It’s high time the government introduces rules to provide immediate relief to affected tenants,” he asserted.
The proposed legislation aims to ensure tenants are not left without housing or rent when redevelopment projects stall. If implemented, the law could become a significant milestone in bridging policy gaps between Mumbai’s core and its growing suburbs, offering a more equitable approach to urban redevelopment.
Source: Mid- day
