Mumbai, April 24: Aditya Thackeray has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, requesting immediate release of funds for the repair of dilapidated buildings in Mumbai. He highlighted the urgent need for special funding to address the repair of over 13,500 buildings in the city.
In his letter, Thackeray noted that thousands of residents are still living in life-threatening conditions. Many of these buildings are between 50 to 80 years old, and repairs are essential before the onset of the monsoon season.
Thackeray pointed out that the Mumbai Building Repair and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB) is currently facing a severe financial crisis, which has halted necessary repair work. He emphasized that the lack of funds cannot compromise the safety of Mumbai’s residents.
He urged the state government to treat this as an emergency and allocate special funds to prevent accidents during heavy rainfall. Additionally, he called for expediting the redevelopment process of these buildings, as many projects have been stalled in government procedures for years.
According to the housing department, there is a distinct category of ‘cessed’ buildings in Mumbai. These are primarily old private buildings in South Mumbai constructed before 1969. They are termed ‘cessed’ because tenants pay a ‘repair cess’ (tax) to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which is responsible for their maintenance and repair.
These buildings are classified into three categories: Category A (built before 1940, highest risk), Category B (built between 1940 and 1950), and Category C (built between 1950 and 1969).
Due to rent control laws, the rent for these buildings is very low (sometimes between 100 to 500 rupees per month). This disinterest from landlords in maintaining the buildings often leads to insufficient funds collected by MHADA to cover the high costs of repairing such old and dilapidated structures.
Sources indicate that redevelopment is a permanent solution; however, it often gets stalled due to disputes between landlords and tenants or because small plots are not attractive to developers. When the annual budget of the repair board runs out, the demand for special funds arises, as there is no available money for the repair of many dangerous buildings, increasing the risk during Mumbai’s monsoon season.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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