After 15 Years of Struggle, Patra Chawl Families in Mumbai Set to Reclaim Their Homes

More than 15 years after leaving behind their homes on the promise of upgraded living, 640 of the 672 families from Patra Chawl in Siddharth Nagar, Goregaon West, are finally poised to return. This long-awaited development follows a tumultuous journey marred by land scams, political controversies, and protracted legal battles.

A Tumultuous History of Promises and Controversies

Patra Chawl, located in a sprawling 47-acre Mhada layout, was once earmarked for a redevelopment scheme that promised bigger and better flats for its residents. The project, however, soon became entangled in a web of controversies. Originally, Guru Ashish Construction (GAC)—a subsidiary of HDIL—was appointed to redevelop the area. The plan took a drastic turn when the Mhada land was sold without proper authority approval to nine different developers, raising serious questions about the governance and execution of the redevelopment project.

The controversy deepened when HDIL, which had taken a colossal loan of Rs 6,700 crore from the PMC Cooperative Bank, became embroiled in allegations of financial impropriety. Reports indicate that approximately Rs 2,700 crore was allegedly laundered, contributing to the bank’s eventual collapse. Further compounding the scandal, GAC is accused of selling the Mhada land for Rs 901.79 crore and launching another project, Meadows, by collecting around Rs 138 crore in booking amounts from flat buyers. The total estimated proceeds from these questionable transactions reached Rs 1,039.79 crore.

High-profile arrests followed, including that of Pravin Raut, a former director of GAC, whose involvement allegedly extended to the diversion of Rs 100 crore—a sum that reportedly found its way to influential figures, linking the saga to broader political controversies.

Government Intervention and the Road to Reclamation

In 2021, with the situation reaching an impasse, the Maharashtra government intervened decisively. The MVA government directed Mhada to take over the redevelopme