The laying of the foundation stone for redevelopment of BDD chawls took place on August 1 in Mumbai, in the presence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar.

The program was scheduled for July 27, postponed in the wake of the monsoon in several districts.

Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad met the residents of BDD Chawl, and discussed the redevelopment proposal with them on Friday.

Aaditya Thackeray said that the BDD chawls redevelopment at Worli, NM Joshi Marg, and Naigaum will begin from August 1, in the presence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP President Sharad Pawar.

However, the Federation of many organisations representing BDD chawls has opposed the move of laying the foundation stone for redevelopment on August 1, saying that their demands have not been satisfied yet.

On the lines of a slum dweller, every chawl resident should get a permanent housing agreement. The Public Work Department should survey to determine the eligibility, and the government must do away with the condition of requirement of proof before 1996, said Raju Waghmare, the Federation President and the state Congress spokesman.

Waghmare said that the residents of BDD chawls must get amenities, including playgrounds, halls, swimming pools, gyms, and clinics after the redevelopment.

The government must satisfy demands, which have been raised since 2015, on paper, and then the redevelopment will be accepted, he noted.

As per the media reports, in the 1930s, the BDD chawls began coming up in Mumbai, and gradually they got turned into a housing facility for the working class. Many of these chawls are located on prime plots in Mumbai, now in dilapidated condition.

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