According to Prashant Manani, a third year Bachelor of Architecture student who was a part of the team that developed the housing project, the project plan could be replicated anywhere in the country where there are slums.

“For this project, we adopted a large ground attached to a park near Gorwa, which could be used to develop a local market where the vendors, who usually look for slums to live, can use the place to stay and also sell goods in other residential areas,” added Manani. His team has also developed a common courtyard for the families to promote interaction and harmony among the residents.

Similarly, a fifth year student named Keyur Khorasia has developed a sustainable market model keeping in mind the usual clutter of vegetables or flower markets. “Markets with bamboo structures would help cut down costs. The money can be utilised in making better drainage systems,” added Khorasia, who kept the Khanderao Market under consideration.

But that is not all: architecture students brought more accolades to MSU when they reclaimed the prestigious Le Corbusier Trophy after a gap of 22 years. It is awarded to the best architecture college in India for projects undertaken by students throughout the year. “The last time we bagged the award was in 1987,” said the head of department, Professor Uday Shelat.