Bhendi Bazaar In Mumbai Gets A Makeover With Rs 4000 Cr Project

Bhendi Bazaar is one of the most densely crowded and populated areas of India’s financial capital, Mumbai. While the city continues to grow, Bhendi Bazaar was known to be one of the most backward areas in terms of facilities like water supply and drainage systems. The Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) has been working steadily to change the landscape of Bhendi Bazaar and keep it in accordance with the rest of the city. 

Malikarjun Rao, General Manager, Design at SBUT, spoke to BW Smart cities and shared more about the project. Talking about the project, Rao said that the project's vision is to turn Bhendi Bazaar, a densely crowded and unhygienic neighbourhood, into a dynamic, sustainable, and inclusive community. The project addresses various issues that Bhendi Bazaar was experiencing, including overpopulation, poor infrastructure, inadequate housing, and a lack of services. It's aimed at upgrading the infrastructure of Bhendi Bazaar, including roads, water supply, sanitation, and drainage systems. The vision is to empower residential and commercial owners by significantly enhancing their access to essential services and utilities that were previously lacking. The project area spans over 16.5 acres. 

The overall cost of construction for the Bhendi Bazaar cluster redevelopment project is projected to be upwards Rs. 4,000 crore. Talking about the challenges of the project, Rao said that a large-scale reconstruction project like Bhendi Bazaar needs consent from local inhabitants, approvals from many government bodies, and going through various administrative processes which are at times quite cumbersome. Moreover, due to the deep-rooted social and cultural ties with the area, moving of residential and commercial tenants to transit facilities is challenging. However, with the people-first approach, the trust engaged with tenants, understood their needs and requirements, and successfully moved them to temporary accommodations until their new, ownership homes in Bhendi Bazaar get ready. 

The first phase of the project was completed in 2020, rehousing 610 families and 128 commercial outlets in two tall-standing towers. The second phase of the project, comprising the upcoming four towers An-Nasr and Al-Ezz, are expected to be completed in the next three to four years and will bring back all the residential and commercial tenants as proud owners to their new premises in Bhendi Bazaar.  

Established in 2009, the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) works towards improving and upgrading the Bhendi Bazaar neighbourhood with its redevelopment project spanning over 16.5 acres. SBUT is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people of Bhendi Bazaar by improving infrastructure, sanitation facilities and creating a sustainable neighbourhood.. Over the years, the trust has been actively involved in the design, coordination, and implementation of redevelopment projects with the support of  various  stakeholders, including the local community, government agencies, and urban planning and architectural experts.