Maharashtra: GTB Nagar Redevelopment to Benefit 1,200 Sindhi Refugee Families

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has appointed the Rustomjee Group to redevelop 25 buildings in Mumbai’s Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar (GTB Nagar), Sion Koliwada. The project aims to rehabilitate 1,200 Sindhi families who migrated to India from Pakistan after Independence.

The colony's redevelopment had been pending for a decade, and the authorities had declared 25 buildings in GTB Nagar to be in a dilapidated condition, prompting the residents to vacate the buildings. Here’s what you should know about the GTB Nagar redevelopment project being undertaken by the Rustomjee Group.

1) Post-partition refugees rehabilitated in 1,200 homes across 25 buildings since 1957 Beginning in 1957, the government settled over 1,200 refugee families in around 1,200 apartments across 25 buildings constructed specifically for them. Following partition, the central government undertook the rehabilitation of thousands of Hindu Punjabis, Sikh Punjabis, and Sindhi refugees who had crossed into India. In Maharashtra alone, over 30 such colonies were developed, including several in Mumbai. Most of these refugees, originally from Pakistan’s Sindh and Punjab provinces, were allotted homes under the Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1954.

2) Refugees given homes at a per sq ft price of ₹14 In the late 1950s, each apartment allotted to the Sindhi Community cost around ₹5,380, with a per sq ft rate of ₹14–15. Refugees were allowed to pay in installments, making homeownership feasible, as reported by Moneycontrol. However, today the property rates in the locality range between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000 per sq ft, and with the redevelopment, prices might touch ₹40,000 to ₹45,000 per sq ft, local brokers said.

3) Why did some residents have to move out? The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared the buildings unsafe in 2020 and subsequently demolished several of them. Affected residents were forced to find alternative accommodation on their own, MHADA stated. While many buildings were vacated, some residents either refused to leave or reoccupied them illegally, putting their lives at risk. As a result, the Maharashtra government appointed MHADA to carry out the redevelopment.

4) The redevelopment plan According to MHADA, under the project, 1,200 families will receive 635 sq. ft. apartments in exchange for their current homes in dilapidated buildings. The MHADA has appointed Rustomjee Group, also known as Keystone Realtors, for the redevelopment and rehabilitation. The entire area is spread across 11.20 acres. The redevelopment will generate 25,700 sq. m. of built-up space for MHADA as housing stock, with a permissible Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4.5, including the fungible area. The project has a total of 1,200 refugee families and 200 slum dwellers who will be rehabilitated as part of the project.

5) What will MHADA get in exchange? According to MHADA, a floor space index (FSI) of 4.5 will be available, including fungible area, ensuring each eligible family receives a free home measuring 635 sq ft. In exchange, MHADA will receive 25,700 square meters of built-up space as housing stock. The MHADA will sell the housing stock from the same in the open market.