Maharashtra Approves ₹20,000-Crore Redevelopment To Build 45,000 Homes For Mumbai Police
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Cabinet has given its approval to a large-scale housing redevelopment plan aimed at significantly expanding and modernising residential facilities for the Mumbai Police. The project, titled the Police Housing Township, will see the construction of nearly 45,000 government quarters across existing police colonies in the city.
The decision was taken at a state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, marking one of the most substantial public housing initiatives undertaken for police personnel in Mumbai. The redevelopment will focus on rebuilding ageing police colonies, many of which date back to the British era and are currently in poor or unsafe condition.
Estimated to cost around ₹20,000 crore, the project will be financed through a combination of state funding and institutional loans. The state government will contribute 30 per cent of the total project cost, while the remaining 70 per cent will be raised through loans from financial institutions. These loans will be supported by a government guarantee to enable smoother fund mobilisation.
The Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) has been designated as the nodal agency for implementing the project. Acting on behalf of the Public Works Department, MSIDC will oversee construction and related processes before handing over the completed housing units to the government. The Cabinet has also sanctioned an initial grant of ₹100 crore to the corporation to prepare technical and financial feasibility reports and to initiate preliminary work.
The redevelopment proposal follows the recommendations of a government-appointed committee led by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home). The committee was tasked with assessing the condition of existing police housing colonies and exploring redevelopment options. The planned township is expected to cover a built-up area of approximately five crore square feet.
Officials have highlighted that Mumbai’s expanding population and growing security demands have intensified the need for modern, well-equipped residential facilities for police officers and personnel. The Mumbai Police has a sanctioned strength of 51,308 personnel, but currently only 22,904 service residences are available. Of these, about 3,777 quarters have been declared unfit for occupation due to structural and safety concerns.
Housing shortages remain acute, with an estimated 400 to 500 police personnel applying for accommodation every month. As a result, many officers are forced to commute long distances daily, affecting response times and work-life balance. The government has underlined that providing housing closer to places of duty is critical, given the demanding and round-the-clock nature of police work.
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Once completed, the Police Housing Township is expected to ease long-standing accommodation constraints within the Mumbai Police and contribute to more efficient policing by ensuring personnel can live closer to their operational areas.