Mumbai: Following a recent legal victory, the civic authorities are now awaiting a formal opinion from their legal department on whether they should issue a notice to Century Textiles & Industries Limited for taking possession of the land in question.
Furthermore, they are assessing whether it will be the BMC’s responsibility to provide housing or rehabilitate the residents of the chawls and shops currently situated on the land. A decision is expected within the next 15 days, after which the civic body will initiate the next phase of the process.
After the Supreme Court (SC) confirmed that the land belongs to the BMC and rejected the proposal to transfer it to Century Textiles & Industries Limited, the Estate Department and officials from the G South ward conducted an on-site inspection of the property on January 10 to assess its current condition.
“We have approached our legal department to understand the appropriate process for taking possession of the land,” an official stated. “Since the apex court has ruled in favor of the BMC, we are considering whether to simply inform the concerned company or issue a formal notice for the handover,” he said.
Currently, there are around 500 tenants on the land parcel, and according to state government direction, they are eligible for 400 sq. ft. of housing. However, the civic body is uncertain whether it will be their responsibility to provide housing for the tenants.
“The legal department is expected to give their opinion within the next two weeks, after which we will be in a position to decide on the next steps. We have yet to determine whether the available plot will be used for affordable housing or developed for other basic amenities,” said a senior civic official.
According to the 2024-2025 Ready Reckoner rates, the estimated value of this land is approximately Rs 660 crores. The land parcel in Lower Parel, covering approximately 30,550 square meters, was leased to M/s Century Spinning and Manufacturing Limited (now Century Textiles & Industries Limited) for 28 years, starting from April 1, 1927, with the purpose of housing employees from the poorer class.
The mill built 476 rooms, 10 shops, and a chawl on this land. Once the 28-year lease expired, the lease rights over the property ceased, and ownership reverted to the municipal corporation. However, instead of returning the land, M/s Century Mill filed a petition in the Bombay High Court (HC) to transfer the property to their name.
