One really concerning situation has been building up in Mumbai for very long time now,and Maharashtra government has finally taken one significant step to try and address it . state has amended MHADA Act specifically to push forward redevelopment of over 13,000 cessed buildings,many of which date back to before 1940 . And condition of these structures is not something that can be ignored anymore.
For people living in these buildings every single day,this is not just some policy update . This is about whether their home will still be standing tomorrow morning .
Activist Jeetendra Ghadge has been vocal about what delayed action actually costs . According to him,there have been 345 incidents of building collapses in city between 2021 and August 2025,with tragic fatalities recorded . That number is not small thing to just read and move on from.
Core things to understand about this amendment:
- Section 79A has been revived and clarified,replacing vague term "competent authority" that caused years of legal confusion.
- Nearly 935 notices issued under this provision were stayed by High Court last year due to that exact ambiguity .
- Amendment has passed through both Houses and is now awaiting governor's approval,which is expected soon.
Section 79A and Section 79B were originally introduced back in 2020 after spate of building collapses raised alarm across city . These provisions were meant to allow MHADA to step in when landlords were neglecting their responsibility to redevelop dangerous structures . But legal challenges kept stalling everything . High Court stays,disputes between landlords and tenants,administrative confusion… the whole process kept getting buried.
And honestly,that is where this amendment tries to make real difference . By clearly naming MHADA and Building and Repairs Department as competent authorities,government has attempted to remove that legal ambiguity that was being used to block action.
One representative from MHADA spoke about situation saying,"Our special committee report submitted to Bombay HC was self-explanatory,and we have proven how MHADA and the Building and Repairs Department are the competent authorities. We hope Supreme Court will also take the right decision." Activist Ghadge also added,"This amendment is an important step towards protecting the lives of lakhs of tenants living in dangerous buildings. We hope that the Supreme Court permits implementation of scheme so that redevelopment can finally begin."
The amendment also gives tenants themselves more power . With majority consent,residents of these hazardous buildings can now initiate redevelopment process without waiting for reluctant landlords to act . For families who have been stuck in crumbling structures for years,that shift in power matters enormously .
But here is thing that still hangs in air . Supreme Court's position on implementation is still pending . And even with governor's approval coming,actual ground-level redevelopment for 13,000 plus buildings scattered across Mumbai is enormous task . Whether this legislative change translates into real construction activity,actual safe housing for lakhs of tenants… that part is still very much an open question right now.
