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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 7:24:18 pm

CIDCO struggles to find takers for its homes

Mumbai: The City and Industrial Development Corporation’s (CIDCO) latest housing scheme has exposed a recurring challenge for the planning authority: finding buyers for its large housing inventory despite its affordable-housing focus. The August 2026 scheme offered 4,793 homes in Taloja, Kharghar and Kalamboli and received 4,180 confirmed applications before bookings closed on September 3. While CIDCO described the response as strong, 613 homes—nearly 13 per cent of the inventory—had no...

CIDCO struggles to find takers for its homes

Mumbai: The City and Industrial Development Corporation’s (CIDCO) latest housing scheme has exposed a recurring challenge for the planning authority: finding buyers for its large housing inventory despite its affordable-housing focus. The August 2026 scheme offered 4,793 homes in Taloja, Kharghar and Kalamboli and received 4,180 confirmed applications before bookings closed on September 3. While CIDCO described the response as strong, 613 homes—nearly 13 per cent of the inventory—had no confirmed applicant. This follows earlier schemes with similar gaps. In January 2025, CIDCO’s ‘My Preferred Home’ scheme, offering around 26,000 homes across Navi Mumbai, attracted 1.36 lakh initial applications. However, only about 55,000 applicants paid the registration fee and around 22,000 deposited the required earnest money, leaving serious participation below the number of homes offered. A CAG-linked report on two CIDCO housing schemes in Kharghar found that, of 4,814 saleable tenements, allotment letters had been issued to 3,733 applicants and possession handed over to 3,317. Four years after the draw, 1,081 tenements remained unsold. CIDCO has also faced scrutiny over marketing expenditure. In 2023, reports questioned the appointment of private agencies to market and allot PMAY homes, stating that the agencies had received advances of more than Rs 100 crore before sales took place. CIDCO officials said external support was necessary given the scale of the programme. The scale of investment adds to the concern. CIDCO’s mass-housing programme envisaged 68,515 homes at an estimated cost of around Rs 15,300 crore. A 2024 report noted that thousands of completed homes were awaiting sale, locking up capital and increasing the authority’s financial burden. The latest homes are located in Taloja Sector 39, Kalamboli Bus Depot and Kharghar Bus Depot. Taloja accounts for 4,229 homes, followed by 257 in Kalamboli and 293 in Kharghar. Indicative prices range from around Rs 23.50 lakh in Taloja to Rs 37.70 lakh in Kalamboli and Rs 43.50 lakh in Kharghar. The figures point to a possible mismatch between what CIDCO considers affordable and what its target buyers can finance. Industry experts have noted that EWS homes priced at Rs 25 lakh or more may be difficult for households within the prescribed income ceiling, particularly after registration, stamp duty, floor-rise charges and other costs. Location may also influence demand. Taloja has seen rapid development and improved connectivity, including metro access, but buyers continue to weigh its distance from established employment centres and social infrastructure, as well as commuting costs. CIDCO maintains that its housing programme meets a genuine need in Navi Mumbai. Ashwin Mudgal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, CIDCO, said, “The overwhelming response to the housing scheme reflects the aspirations of citizens to own a home in Navi Mumbai and their continued confidence in CIDCO’s planned development initiatives. CIDCO remains committed to providing affordable and quality housing opportunities in well-planned locations, enabling citizens to benefit from the region’s growing infrastructure and connectivity.” The authority has also highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) subsidy, under which eligible beneficiaries can receive Rs 2.5 lakh, subject to applicable guidelines and eligibility criteria. However, the repeated unsold inventory suggests that CIDCO’s challenge extends beyond construction. Pricing, apartment configurations, location, payment flexibility and connectivity may need to be reassessed before further public resources are committed.

Fatal Mismanagement

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

At least five lives were lost and around 100 people hospitalized following the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) much-publicized air show in Chennai this Sunday. The event, which aimed to mobilize 1.5 million spectators in an attempt to enter the Limca Book of Records, was plagued by poor planning, extreme heat, and woeful crowd control. One man, suffering from sunstroke, even collapsed while riding his bike after being caught in gridlock for over an hour. The IAF’s push for large numbers and the Chennai City Police’s ineffective traffic management are now under scrutiny.

The Chennai tragedy is part of a disturbing pattern in India’s handling of mass gatherings. Last year, a similar tragedy unfolded during the Maharashtra Bhushan Award ceremony in Navi Mumbai, where 13 people died from heatstroke while attending an outdoor function on a blistering April day. The event, which drew a crowd of 300,000, saw hundreds succumb to heat-related illnesses. Provisions for shade were limited to a select few dignitaries and VIPs, leaving the majority of attendees vulnerable to the scorching heat.

These incidents underscore a chronic failure in crowd management at India’s mega events, where spectacle is prioritized over safety. Whether it is a religious gathering like the Kumbh Mela, a political rally, or a public celebration, the safety of attendees is often an afterthought. Organizers and authorities routinely underestimate the risks posed by overcrowding, extreme heat, and insufficient infrastructure.

India’s fragmented governance structure exacerbates these risks. The responsibilities for crowd control are often split between various authorities, resulting in poor coordination and inadequate preparation. In the Chennai case, the IAF’s push to break records clashed with the local police’s inability to handle the influx of spectators. In Navi Mumbai, even the presence of high-ranking officials such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde did not translate into better planning or more robust safety measures.

The consequences of such negligence are often blamed on fate or uncontrollable forces, but the reality is mismanagement. Heatstroke, dehydration, and crowd crushes are preventable with the right measures in place. Simple provisions like adequate water stations, shaded areas, and clear evacuation routes could make the difference between life and death.

Countries like Saudi Arabia, which hosts millions for the Hajj pilgrimage each year, have invested in sophisticated crowd control systems that include real-time monitoring and emergency response plans. India, with its frequent large-scale events, must adopt similar strategies. Without proper planning and infrastructure, tragedies like those in Chennai and Navi Mumbai will continue to unfold, with innocent lives lost as a result.

Only by placing human lives above record-breaking ambitions can India hope to prevent these deadly disasters in the future.

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