The Maharashtra state government has taken a significant step to accelerate the long-pending redevelopment of old and dilapidated cessed buildings in Mumbai. The state legislature has approved an amendment to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Act (MHADA Act). This amendment aims to address legal uncertainties that led to a stay on the implementation of Section 79A by the Bombay High Court.
Under the new provisions, the term “Competent Authority” has been replaced with a clear clause empowering officers authorized by MHADA to exercise powers under Section 79A. This legislative correction follows a stay by the Bombay High Court on around 935 notices issued by MHADA under Section 79A, citing potential unauthorized exercise of powers.
Mumbai is home to over 13,000 cessed buildings, some dating back to before 1940 and accommodating numerous families. The redevelopment of these structures has been hindered for years due to disputes between landlords and tenants, prolonged legal battles, and the reluctance of certain property owners to renovate unsafe buildings.
Introduced in 2020 after several fatal building collapses, including incidents in 2017, 2019, and 2020, Sections 79A and 79B of the MHADA Act empower MHADA to intervene if landlords fail to renovate dilapidated buildings. The law also allows tenants to take charge of redevelopment projects with 51% consent.
According to data from Right to Information (RTI) obtained by social activist Jitendra Ghadge, Mumbai witnessed 345 instances of full or partial building collapses between 2021 and August 2025, resulting in 8 deaths and 28 injuries. MHADA records reveal that from 1970 to 2018, building collapses in the city claimed 815 lives, underscoring the human toll of stalled redevelopment initiatives.
