The civic authorities Friday granted the crucial Master Plan approval and other sanctions, paving the way for launching the first phase of the ambitious Bhendi Bazaar Redevelopment Project (BBRP), an official said here.

 

 

 The project is being executed by Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT).

 

 The Intimitation of Disapproval (IOD) letter and Master Plan approval will now entitle SBUT to apply for Commencement Certificate and then begin construction on the city's biggest mega-redevelopment project in the congested south Mumbai.

 

 According to SBUT CEO Abbas Master, Friday's development happened just a week after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured his support to the BBRP following approval to a new Cluster Development Policy in the state.

 

 "The CM (chief minister) has also identified top 10 critical projects for the state, with the SBUT among them, to give boost to urban renewal projects and improve living conditions of the people," Master said.

 

 At present, over 60 dilapidated buildings in the Bhendi Bazaar area have been demolished and around 1,600 families shifted, majority of them to transit homes.

 

 The SBUT has acquired 85 percent of the buildings and received clearance from the union ministry of environment and forests for the project.

 

 "The IOD is a major milestone for the project… We are now a step closer to begin phase-wise construction, giving Bhendi Bazaar the much-needed transformation," Master said. 

 

 The total SBUT project comprises 3,200 homes in 25 buildings, plus 1,250 business establishments, covering around 20,000 people in the Bhendi Bazaar area.

 

 The redevelopment envisages transforming Bhendi Bazaar into a diverse sustainable community, with a healthy neighbourhood creating a vibrant modern urban area with state-of-the-art infrastructure and set a benchmark for similar projects in the city and country.