Worli BDD Chawl Redevelopment: New Homes for Residents by July, MHADA Assures

Rashi Sood

Last Updated on 2nd June 2025

In a significant development for Mumbai’s urban housing landscape, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has announced that residents of the Bombay Development Directorate (BDD) chawls in Worli will receive the keys to their new homes by July 2025. This assurance was provided by Milind Borikar, CEO of MHADA’s Mumbai Board, during a public interaction held in the presence of Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar.

The BDD chawls, constructed over a century ago to accommodate workers in mills, ports, and railway construction, have long been in a state of disrepair. Recognizing the urgent need for redevelopment, the state government initiated a comprehensive plan to revamp these structures. The Worli BDD chawls occupy the largest area among the three locations – Worli, Naigaon, and NM Joshi Marg in Parel.

The first phase of the Worli BDD Chawl Redevelopment Project has seen the construction of high-rise towers, with the initial 556 homes located in wings D and E of Building No. 1. These units, each offering a carpet area of 500 square feet, mark a substantial improvement over the previous cramped living conditions. The redevelopment plan also includes commercial spaces and proposed sale tenements, catering to the Middle Income Group (MIG) and Higher Income Group (HIG) categories.

During his visit to the site, Minister Ashish Shelar addressed residents’ concerns regarding adequate water supply in the new buildings. He directed MHADA and BMC officials to install new water lines to accommodate the increased population in the redeveloped towers. Additionally, to address parking challenges, Shelar instructed officials to temporarily demolish two adjacent old buildings to create additional parking space—a proposal that MHADA has approved. Parking slots will be allocated through a lottery system.

Responding to residents’ demands for swift possession, CEO Milind Borikar assured that piped gas connections and other essential amenities would be in place by the time of handover. The consolidated efforts aim to ensure that the transition to the new homes is seamless and that residents can enjoy improved living conditions without delay.
The entire Worli BDD redevelopment project is a massive undertaking, with Phase 1 focusing on rehabilitating 5,198 residential units. Phase 2 will further expand housing availability with an additional 3,974 rehabilitation units, along with more sale tenements and vital public infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and community spaces. The project’s transformative nature is set to upgrade the lives of many families living there, making it a cornerstone of Mumbai’s larger urban renewal efforts.