The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will acquire residential units worth ₹98.55 crore to rehouse families affected by the upcoming Worli–Sewri elevated corridor, which will replace the ageing Elphinstone Bridge with a modern double-decker flyover. However, uncertainty remains over the future of 17 adjoining chawls in Prabhadevi that await a decision on their cluster redevelopment.
The project, spanning 4.5 kilometres, is designed to improve connectivity between South and East Mumbai by linking the Worli and Sewri ends of the coastal route. To make way for the corridor, two old structures — Haji Noorani and Laxmi Niwas chawls — are being demolished, affecting 83 households. Initially, MMRDA offered compensation based on the ready reckoner rate, but residents resisted, citing that the market price in Prabhadevi is nearly double. Following protests earlier this year, the agency revised its plan to provide permanent homes with 35 percent more space than the existing tenements. Those currently living in 300 sq ft units will receive 405 sq ft apartments under the new policy. According to civic officials, MMRDA will now purchase these homes in the G-North, F-North, and F-South wards rather than relocating residents to distant areas like Kurla.
Work on demolishing the 112-year-old Elphinstone Bridge began in September after design approval from railway authorities. The new double-decker structure will feature two vehicular lanes on each level — the lower deck catering to local east–west traffic, and the upper level forming part of the wider Sewri–Worli connector. The estimated project cost stands at ₹167 crore, with completion expected by 2027. However, beyond the immediate rehabilitation of 83 families, the remaining 17 chawls near the site face uncertainty. These pre-independence-era structures are in a dilapidated condition, raising concerns among residents about potential damage from construction vibrations. During negotiations, the government assured that the chawls would be redeveloped under a cluster housing model, but no clarity has yet been provided on which agency will undertake the redevelopment. The Urban Development Department is still to finalise its decision.
Urban planners have urged authorities to view such projects through the lens of equitable redevelopment, ensuring that displacement does not deepen socio-economic divides. Experts argue that integrating infrastructure expansion with affordable housing policy is essential for sustainable urban renewal. For now, while the demolition and bridge reconstruction progress, hundreds of residents in Prabhadevi remain in limbo — their future homes dependent on a long-pending decision about the fate of the old chawls.
MMRDA To Spend Rs 98.55 Crore On Housing For Worli Shivdi Redevelopment
