Mill workers in Mumbai opt for self-redevelopment for houses

After the failure of the Maharashtra government to give houses to mill workers, the workers have come up with a model of self-construction and demanded their own land share in the mill lands. In the last 25 years, about 6,000 mill workers have got houses while the waiting list is upto 90,000. After residential societies have opted for self-development, the mill workers too are willing to go for the model. The workers have formed 24 societies of their own and have written to the Chief Minister to give them land for self-development. Housing activist ChandrashekharPrabhu is helping them on how to go for self-development, which would save their money and keep profit-making builders away from the project. As per the government rule, one third of land of the mill was meant for the MHADA, which was to be used for housing of the workers. Later, the rule changed and made it to one third of the open land omiting the constructed part. This left very little land for housing.