After announcing its ambitious slum redevelopment (SRD) scheme, the state government decided to take on the problems of the chawldwellers. A large number of chawls all across the city are in very poor shape.

During the winter session in 1996, the government had announced in the Assembly its decision to give a facelift to chawls and promised a 225 sq ft flat for each family. The modalities of this scheme were to be similar to the SRD scheme.

After accepting the recommendations of the Sukhtankar Committee's report on redevelopment of chawls, the state government had sent a proposal to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in July 1997. The BMC's Development Plan (DP) department has since been busy making necessary changes in the Development Control rules toenable it to implement the scheme.

The construction of the flats will be undertaken by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which has already set aside Rs 190 crore for the purpose.

However, an official at the DP department informed that it will take some more time though he did not specify how much. He added that once the rules are framed, they will have to be first approved by the improvements committee and then by the general body of the civic corporation. MHADA chief engineer D R Hardale informed that once the DC rules are drafted, the BMC will have to make an announcement and invite objections and suggestions from the public in the next two months. Only then, can they make it a rule, he added.

Meanwhile, MHADA has received over 100 proposals for reconstruction of chawls from various societies and not a single proposal has been passed in the last two years, revealed MHADA officials. This was primarily due to two reasons: MHADA is yet to receive an official order from thestate government to start work on the scheme and no chawl resident is interested in a reconstructed flat of only 180 sq ft which MHADA is offering now.``After all, if the slum dwellers can get self-sufficient flats free of cost, the chawl dwellers are also entitled to better homes,'' remarked a former housing minister.

However, the bitter truth of better homes for chawldwellers is that nobody knows how long they will have to wait.