As he released the names of erstwhile mill workers who have been allotted 3,894 flats constructed on closed mill lands, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday made a fervent appeal to them not to sell their flats allocated to them and move out of Mumbai.
Interacting with the flat allottees chosen through computerised draws at the state-run Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (MHADA) at Bandra in north-west Mumbai, Uddhav said: “Instead of delivering a speech, I would like to converse with you as a family head. My request to you is: please do not sell the flats allotted to you through lots today and go out Mumbai. I have come here to express my gratitude to you. You call me to your rightfully allotted homes for a tea, I will come. Please live happily at your newly allotted homes”.
State Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray were prominent among those present on the occasion.
The flats have been allotted to 720 ex-workers of Bombay Dyeing Mill, 2630 ex-workers of Bombay Dyeing Printing Mills and 544 ex-workers of Shrinivas Mills. The one-room-hall-kitchen flats admeasure 225 square feet with modern amenities.
Sunday’s was fourth draw through which flats were allotted. Earlier on June 28, 2013, the first lots were drawn through which 6,925 people were allotted flats. In the second drawn held on June 9, 2016, 2634 people were allotted flats. In the third draw, another 2634 people were allotted flats. “So far MHADA has allotted 11,976 flats. Of the total allottees, 8,490 are ex-mill workers,” a senior state government official said.