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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.

Wine will continue to make inroads into tier-2, tier-3 cities

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

From aiming for the coveted ‘corner office’ in the corporate world to sipping wines for a career, Sonal Holland, India’s first ever Master of Wine talks to The Perfect Voice Deputy Editor Aditi Pai about what prompted her to make the shift from balance sheets to Bordeaux and Burgundy. Excerpts…


Wine will continue to make inroads into tier-2, tier-3 cities

You are India’s first Master of Wine, an achievement that becomes even more spectacular because India isn’t really a wine drinking country. And what prompted you to go beyond being a wine consumer and study wines?

I ventured into the world of wine quite late in my life. About 17 years ago, I was working as Director of Sales at a NASDAQ-listed Fortune 500 company, but I felt that my work wasn’t doing justice to my skill set. Looking to give my career a new direction, I chanced upon the nascent wine market in India, with no qualified wine experts to drive its growth. I saw a huge opportunity for growth and success, for wine and wine professionals. I knew that this industry would flourish in India and there would be a need for qualified wine experts.

Taking a futuristic stance, I decided to study wine, but since there were no world-class wine institutes in India back then, I enrolled at the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) School in London to complete the early stages of my education. This included the institute’s flagship course- Diploma in Wines and Spirits.


Was the Master of Wine title always your target?

Absolutely, I was very clear from the start that I must build my wine career over solid credentials. Since the Master of Wine is the most coveted global wine title, I knew it would uniquely position me as an unparalleled authority on wine in India, thus creating opportunities that would expedite my professional growth in this budding industry.


MW has a very low pass rate. What were the main challenges you encountered along the way?

The MW exam has a pass rate of four per cent; it is indeed one of the toughest exams in the world. It took me six years to achieve the title and the journey was certainly not an easy one. India was still a nascent wine market when I enrolled at the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW), so I had no mentors to guide me and there were barely any wine-tasting opportunities available. So, to complete my education, I had to stay away from my home and family. Being apart from my two-year-old daughter for my studies was the hardest part of this journey. Thankfully, I had an extremely supportive husband and family, who held the fort in my absence. I couldn’t have achieved this title without their support. It goes on to prove that women can overcome any challenge if they have a great support system.


Corporate India to Indian Wine, how was the shift?

I strongly believe that no amount of experience and knowledge ever goes to waste. So while the wine industry has a different work culture, my experience as a corporate professional has certainly helped me build my career in wine. It has bestowed me with the virtue of professionalism which helps me excel at my job.


You’ve often said that you were inspired by British wine writer and critic Jancis Robinson. What about her work inspired you the most?

Jancis has been a beacon of inspiration throughout my career in wine. Her vast body of work opened my eyes to all the opportunities that were possible in the wine sector. It is amazing how she continues to evolve and innovate, remaining a leading voice in the wine community, and providing guidance to everyone from Masters of Wine to budding wine enthusiasts.

Recently, I invited Jancis to India to experience the country’s fast-evolving wine culture. Her enthusiasm to learn more about the Indian trade and consumers again reminded me that learning should never stop; it’s the only way to keep growing and stay relevant for a long time in the wine industry.


Your views on the Indian wine industry and your forecast for the wines in India over the next five years? Any wine styles or varieties that you think will be the future?

India is one of the most promising wine markets in the world, with scope for domestic and international wines of every style and at every price point. Wine will continue to make inroads into tier-2 and tier-3 cities over the next five years, bringing wine culture to a newer and wider base of consumers. However, the industry needs to instil confidence among these new consumers, so that they can purchase wines that suit their taste and keep returning to them.

It is with this intent that we launched the India Wines and Spirits Award- which provides a comprehensive list of the best Indian and international in-market wines to consumers. This blind-tasting competition adheres to global standards and is judged by some of the best palates in the country.


Alcohol consumption is often inspired by trends – gin and tonic, innovative cocktails etc. how can wine stay relevant or popular in a whiskey and beer drinking country that’s driven by trends

Wine is the fastest-growing alcoholic beverage in India, growing steadily at a 14 per cent rate for the past five years, and its consumption will continue to grow. The reason is that wine is perceived to be healthy, is seen as a symbol of success and sophistication, and is socially the most acceptable drink in India. No other alcoholic beverage enjoys this trilogy of appeal and it will help wine stay relevant among consumers in a whisky and beer-drinking country.

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