MHADA’s Big Mumbai Redevelopment Push: How Borivali and Khar Could Become the Next Urban Transformation Story

Proposal Sent for Borivali Old MHADA Colony and Ramakrishna Nagar Redevelopment; Nearly 2,000 Families Set for Rehabilitation

Mumbai’s housing story has long been shaped by one difficult reality: ageing residential stock in prime urban locations can no longer support the needs of modern city life. Redevelopment, therefore, is not simply about constructing taller buildings—it is about rebuilding urban efficiency, improving living standards, and unlocking land value without displacing communities.

That larger vision appears to be guiding MHADA’s latest move.

In a significant step that could reshape parts of Mumbai’s residential landscape, MHADA Vice Chairman and CEO IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal has advanced the redevelopment agenda by pushing the transformation of the old MHADA colony in Borivali and the Ramakrishna Nagar cluster in Khar under the Construction and Development (C&D) model. The proposal has now been submitted to the Maharashtra government for approval, marking another phase in MHADA’s shift towards large-scale cluster redevelopment.

Highlight:

From scattered ageing colonies to planned urban districts, MHADA’s redevelopment strategy signals a move from housing replacement to city renewal.

Why MHADA Is Moving Towards Group Redevelopment

Traditional redevelopment projects often struggle because fragmented ownership and project-by-project execution slow down implementation. MHADA’s current approach suggests a different philosophy—redevelop entire residential clusters rather than isolated buildings.

Under the Construction and Development Agency (C&D) model, redevelopment is being planned at a larger scale to improve execution capacity and create integrated urban environments.

This strategy is not limited to two projects. MHADA has already prioritized redevelopment of colonies through group redevelopment and plans to transform nearly 900 acres of colonies across Mumbai through this framework. The approach is also being extended to cessed buildings and MHADA-owned housing clusters.

According to the proposal pipeline, 11 redevelopment projects are planned under this larger initiative, with Ramakrishna Nagar and Borivali Old MHADA Colony among the projects currently moving through the approval process.

For some redevelopment schemes, the tender process has already been completed and execution is expected to begin. Other projects are expected to enter the tender stage shortly.

Ramakrishna Nagar Redevelopment: Bigger Homes and a New Urban Layout

Among the two proposed projects, Ramakrishna Nagar in Khar represents a major residential upgrade in terms of housing size.

The colony currently spreads across 25,224 square meters and houses 234 flat owners. Existing homes range between 387 and 505 square feet.

Under the redevelopment proposal, all 234 residents will be rehabilitated and provided significantly larger homes ranging from 882 square feet to 1,120 square feet.

That increase is notable because it changes the redevelopment conversation from basic replacement housing to meaningful improvement in residential quality.

However, the final built form—including the number of buildings, floor heights, and project design—will only become clear after government approval, appointment of the construction and development agency, and subsequent project planning approvals.

Borivali Old MHADA Colony: Rehabilitation at Scale

If Ramakrishna Nagar demonstrates vertical improvement in housing quality, Borivali reflects redevelopment at a much larger population scale.

The old MHADA colony in Borivali spans approximately 1,3,405 square feet and currently contains 1,727 residential units.

According to the proposal, all 1,727 residents will be rehabilitated by the Mumbai Board.

Existing home sizes range from 490 square feet to 825 square feet, and under the redevelopment framework, residents will continue receiving homes within the 490 to 825 square feet range.

At first glance, maintaining similar apartment sizes may appear conservative. But redevelopment projects often generate value beyond carpet area—through upgraded infrastructure, improved structural safety, better planning standards, and more efficient community design.

Together, the Borivali and Ramakrishna Nagar projects are expected to rehabilitate nearly two thousand residents.

What Happens After Government Approval?

The current proposal stage is only the beginning.

Once the Maharashtra government grants approval, MHADA plans to appoint a Construction and Development organization for implementation.

That agency will prepare the detailed project plan, which will determine the physical character of redevelopment—building configurations, number of towers, floor counts, open spaces, and overall design.

Officials have indicated that tender implementation will begin after approval is secured.

This sequence reflects an increasingly structured redevelopment pipeline: policy approval, agency appointment, planning, tendering, and finally execution.

Charkop and Gorai Could Be the Next Mega Redevelopment Projects

MHADA’s redevelopment ambitions extend beyond Borivali and Khar.

Officials have indicated that proposals for redevelopment of Charkop MHADA Colony and Gorai MHADA Colony are also being prepared and are expected to be submitted to the state government within the next 15 days.

The scale of housing upgrades being discussed is substantial.

Residents of Charkop are proposed to receive homes ranging from 490 to 825 square feet in place of existing homes between 250 and 450 square feet.

For Gorai residents, proposed rehabilitation units range from 500 to 1,200 square feet compared with current homes of 250 to 900 square feet.

If both projects move ahead, they are expected to become among the largest redevelopment initiatives undertaken by MHADA.

MHADA’s Larger Urban Question

The redevelopment of Borivali Old MHADA Colony and Ramakrishna Nagar is ultimately about more than replacing ageing buildings.

Mumbai’s redevelopment challenge has always been balancing three competing goals—better housing, faster execution, and minimal displacement.

By adopting a cluster-based redevelopment strategy and centralized execution model, MHADA appears to be attempting a structural answer rather than isolated interventions.

Whether these projects become a template for future urban renewal will depend on execution. But the direction is becoming clear: Mumbai’s next housing chapter may be written not through expansion at the edges, but through reinvention from within.