Om Namo Sujalam Sufalam Society Set For Redevelopment After 39 Years Of Stalls

The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has issued a tender inviting bids for the redevelopment of the Om Namo Sujalam Sufalam Society in Santacruz East, a slum colony housing nearly 1,000 tenements, according to the Hindustan Times (HT) report. The colony, which includes both residential and commercial units, has been the subject of redevelopment efforts for the past 39 years, but various setbacks such as disputes between builders and a lack of developer interest have stalled progress.

Located near the Western Express Highway and close to the Bandra Kurla Complex, the land occupied by the colony covers 21,882.15 square metres (sq mt). Of this, 16,072.07 sq mt is occupied by tenements, while 5,810.08 sq mt is open land. The new redevelopment project will allow for a built-up area of up to four times the plot size.

The society currently includes 697 residential, 27 commercial, and 15 industrial tenements, along with 128 apartments built by residents in the late 1990s. The area also features several community facilities, including four balwadis, four welfare centres, eight social amenities, and one community hall.

The successful bidder, who will be chosen three days after bidding closes on December 20, will be responsible for rehabilitating the 990 structures in the colony. Interestingly, the SRA has stated that the developer will not need consent from the majority of tenement owners, as the bid is being floated by the SRA itself.

Redevelopment efforts date back to 1985 when the colony's residents decided to pursue the project. However, after years of unsuccessful attempts to find a developer, 128 residents took matters into their own hands in the 1990s and built two buildings under the self-development mode. Later, developers Susme Builders and J G Developers got involved, but legal disputes led to the Supreme Court removing both from the project in 2018. The SRA was instructed to issue a fresh tender, with a project completion deadline of two years.

The SRA's first tender in 2018 was unsuccessful due to a Rs 200-crore bank guarantee requirement. The guarantee was later reduced to Rs 20 crore, and the project was awarded to a joint venture between DB Realty and Keystone Realtors. However, this contract was cancelled after the firm failed to begin work post-pandemic.

A second attempt to float a tender in June 2022 also failed, leading the SRA to approach the court for an extension of the project deadline. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the residents in October, extending the deadline to 46 months.

The new tender specifies the revised deadline of 46 months and maintains the Rs 20 crore bank guarantee. Only developers who have completed projects worth Rs 200 crore or more will be eligible to bid.