MHADA holds 'Janta Darbar' in Mumbai's Bandra to resolve residents' grievances

Sanjeev Jaiswal, MHADA Vice-President and CEO, reviewed 17 cases during the Janta Darbar. Pic/X

As part of a state-wide initiative for responsive governance, a Janata Darbar was held at the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) headquarters in Bandra, Mumbai, on Friday for citizens to get their grievances resolved in real-time. The event was led by Sanjeev Jaiswal, the Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MHADA, who reviewed 17 cases, including five formal applications, and gave instructions for their immediate resolution.

Breaking from the conventional chamber-based hearings, Jaiswal visited various departments across MHADA's Grihnirman Bhavan to engage with citizens in areas of high footfall. He assessed the grievance resolution process on the ground, gathered direct feedback, and ensured that departmental heads were held accountable for swift action.

Among the key outcomes, several cases were resolved immediately, while others were escalated with set timelines. In many instances, the conduct and responsiveness of MHADA staff were commended for their citizen-centric approach.

This Janata Darbar is part of the Maharashtra Government's 100-day action plan, which was initiated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister and Housing Minister Eknath Shinde. The plan includes defined timelines for grievance redressal across various departments, with MHADA incorporating these principles into its own grievance resolution mechanisms.

Following directions from Jaiswal, similar public grievance hearings have already been conducted at MHADA's regional boards in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik, both of which saw strong public engagement. All divisional boards have been instructed to hold Janata Darbars regularly to institutionalise accountability and ensure greater access for citizens.

MHADA conducts lottery to allot houses to 663 Patra Chawl residents

The long-standing wait of nearly 15 years for residents of the Siddharth Nagar Co-operative Housing Society (Patra Chawl) in Goregaon (West) in Mumbai has finally come to an end. A computerised lottery draw was successfully conducted on Friday by the Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board of MHADA for allotting rehabilitation tenements to 663 eligible members under the redevelopment project located on Plot No R-9.

The lottery was held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Hall in Goregaon (West) under the chairmanship of Milind Borikar, the Chief Officer of MHADA's Mumbai Board.

Through the Randomised Allotment of Tenement (RAT) computerised system, eligible members were allotted the number of their rehab tenement, including details such as building number, wing, and floor.

Speaking on the occasion, Borikar emphasised that MHADA's computerised lottery system is highly transparent and free from any human interference. Being a government undertaking, MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) strictly follows the prescribed procedures and government-approved methods for allotment, he added.

While sharing the further project details, Borikar stated that based on the demands of the society, MHADA's Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sanjeev Jaiswal, has approved the installation of a solar power system for the housing society, and the planning for the project is currently underway. In addition to this, MHADA will also provide gym equipment for the society's fitness centre.

The project received an Occupancy Certificate (OC) on Tuesday. Although the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) mandate 412 parking spaces, the board has arranged for a total of 686 parking spots, ensuring one dedicated parking space per tenement.