MHADA to resolve housing complaints through Janata Darbar session in Bandra

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will hold a Janata Darbar in Mumbai on April 22.

The public interaction session aims to directly address housing grievances from residents living in cessed buildings and transit camp tenements across the city and its suburbs — a demographic often at the receiving end of structural neglect and bureaucratic delays. Scheduled to take place between 12 pm and 2 pm at Bharat Ratna Gulzarilal Nanda Hall, located within MHADA’s Bandra (East) headquarters, the event is part of the state’s broader 100-day action plan under the current administration. Designed to fast-track grievance redressal through accessible governance, the initiative seeks to offer timely resolution to chronic issues that have historically plagued the city’s ageing housing stock and vulnerable communities.

According to senior officials from MHADA, the Janata Darbar initiative reflects a commitment to inclusive and equitable urban development by providing a direct channel for citizens to raise complaints. These include structural repairs, delays in redevelopment, displacement concerns from transit camps, lack of clarity on tenancy rights, and in some cases, basic service delivery in housing clusters where residents often fall through the administrative cracks. As a parallel to the Lokshahi Din — a state government platform for public grievance hearings — the Janata Darbar is decentralised, specific to MHADA’s jurisdiction, and focused squarely on housing challenges that affect thousands of Mumbaikars. Officials from the Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB), which operates under MHADA, will preside over the hearing. The board is responsible for the upkeep and redevelopment of Mumbai’s old and dilapidated building stock, particularly those designated as cessed buildings — structures where a fixed amount of rent is collected and redirected for maintenance through the board.

Cessed buildings, primarily located in South and Central Mumbai, have for years remained a complex web of legal, engineering, and political challenges. Residents in these buildings often face a dual burden — uncertainty regarding redevelopment timelines and deteriorating living conditions. Meanwhile, families relocated to transit camps continue to live in temporary accommodation for extended periods, sometimes lasting years. These issues have sparked growing concern among housing rights activists and urban policy experts, who argue that delays in resolving housing issues impact not only living standards but also the broader goals of sustainable and inclusive urban growth. Officials leading the grievance session have urged residents to participate actively and come prepared with complete documentation to facilitate quicker processing of their complaints. The session will enable applicants to submit formal representations, supported by tenancy documents, repair petitions, and relevant correspondence. This effort is not just symbolic; during a similar Janata Darbar held earlier in April, over a dozen cases were reviewed in real-time, with instructions issued for immediate follow-up and resolution.

The state’s housing department views this format as an essential mechanism for improving the transparency and accountability of public service delivery. By creating face-to-face interaction between authorities and affected residents, it aims to build trust in public institutions, particularly in matters related to housing justice — a cornerstone of urban resilience and social stability. Urban governance experts note that such citizen-centric outreach, if institutionalised, could play a vital role in accelerating sustainable redevelopment efforts in Mumbai. With rising pressures on infrastructure, land, and service delivery in the city, streamlined housing reform is critical to meeting the demands of a growing population without compromising environmental integrity or social equity.

Furthermore, this initiative aligns with broader goals to make Indian cities more liveable and responsive to residents’ needs. As Mumbai continues its evolution into a modern metropolis, the equitable treatment of those residing in legacy structures or temporary housing must remain central to the development discourse. Mechanisms like the Janata Darbar are a promising sign that the state is willing to listen and act — not just in policy papers but in the lived realities of its citizens. By proactively creating space for public voices within administrative processes, MHADA’s move may not only help resolve specific grievances but also set a precedent for participatory governance models in urban India. While the success of such initiatives ultimately depends on follow-through and long-term policy support, the gesture itself marks a shift towards a more people-first approach to housing and urban management in Mumbai.

MHADA to resolve housing complaints through Janata Darbar session in Bandra