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{{Short description|1920 housing department in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Bombay Development Department
| logo =
| image =
| caption =
| formation = 1920
| founder = [[George Lloyd, 1st Baron Lloyd|Sir George Lloyd]]
| type = Government department
| purpose =To implement housing and development schemes in Bombay City, including the Back Bay Reclamation Scheme and the construction of 50,000 tenements
| headquarters = [[Bombay]]
| website =
}}
The '''Bombay Development Department''' (BDD) was established in 1920 by the [[Bombay Presidency]] with the primary objective of providing more land for housing and constructing 50,000 tenements on reclaimed lands. The Bombay Development Department (BDD) [[Chawl|chawls]] were constructed by the British government between 1920 and 1925.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kamath |first1=Naresh |title=Exclusion of Sewri chawls from revamp project to affect 960 families |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/exclusion-of-sewri-chawls-from-revamp-project-to-affect-960-families-101654627985600.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=8 June 2022}}</ref> It was established by [[George Lloyd, 1st Baron Lloyd|Sir George Lloyd]], the [[Governor of Bombay]].<ref>{{cite news |title=PMC Agreement for BDD Redevelopment Project |url=https://www.mhada.gov.in/sites/default/files/PMC-Agreement-for-BDD-Redevelopment-Project-26_2_2019-Worli.pdf |publisher=Mhada |date=6 May 2017}}</ref>

== Projects ==
The Bombay Development Department has been responsible for several notable projects, including BBD Chawls, the [[Back Bay (Mumbai)|Back Bay Reclamation]] project<ref>{{harvnb|Greater Bombay District Gazetteer|1986|loc=[http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/greater_Bombay/history.html#24 Back Bay Scandal]|Ref=bom}}</ref> and the development of [[Salsette Island]], which helped provide adequate water to the city of Bombay. BDD undertook the reclamation of [[Marine Drive, Mumbai|Marine Drive]] located along the southern coast of Bombay Island and initiated the development of suburbs to the north. BDD undertook massive housing schemes in the city, which are now known as BDD chawls.<ref>{{cite news |title=History of BDD Chawls |url=https://memumbai.com/bdd-chawls/ |publisher=MeMumbai |date=25 December 2018}}</ref>

== BDD Chawls ==
The Bombay Development Department (BDD) constructed affordable housing for the large number of workers employed in the mills, ports, and railway construction.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Simpreet |title=Democracy In The Dark: The Story Of Mumbai And Its Slums |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/democracy-in-the-dark-the-story-of-mumbai-and-its-slums-news-211546 |publisher=[[Outlook India]] |date=24 July 2022}}</ref> It consisted of single-room tenements spanning 160 sq. ft.<ref>{{cite news |title=After decades in 160 sq ft chawls, over 800 Naigaon BDD residents receive keys to 2BHK homes |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/after-decades-in-160-sq-ft-chawls-over-800-naigaon-bdd-residents-receive-keys-to-2bhk-homes-101773688116448.html
|work=Hindustan Times |access-date=2026-04-23}}</ref>

As of August 2021, there are a total of 195 BDD Chawls located at [[Worli]], Naigaon, and N M Joshi Road in [[Parel]] area of Mumbai, covering an area of 86.98 acres, with the Worli BDD chawls occupying the largest area of 59.69 acres and housing close to 12,000 families. Out of the 195 BDD chawls, 121 are located in Worli.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shaikh |first1=Zeeshan |title=Redeveloping central Mumbai's chawls: the project and the politics |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/mumbais-century-old-chawls-and-why-maharashtra-is-keen-on-restarting-stalled-redevelopment-7434428/ |publisher=[[Indian Express]] |date=7 August 2021}}</ref>
=== Redevelopment ===
The BDD chawls, which are over a century old, have been in a state of disrepair for a long time and are a safety concern, making redevelopment a longstanding demand. In 2017, the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]-[[Shiv Sena]] government led by [[Devendra Fadnavis]] launched a Rs 17,000 crore redevelopment plan. The plan includes rehousing the residents of more than 16,000 apartments in the new buildings for free.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chitnis |first1=Purva |title=Rs 17,000 cr revamp for Mumbai's British-era BDD chawls: Residents hopeful, planners have doubts |url=https://theprint.in/india/rs-17000-cr-revamp-for-mumbais-british-era-bdd-chawls-residents-hopeful-planners-have-doubts/858628/ |publisher=[[The Print]] |date=5 March 2022}}</ref> But the project could not begin due to issues like eligibility criteria, selection of contractors and agreement issues. In August 2020, the BDD Chawls redevelopment plan was revived by CM [[Uddhav Thackeray]] and [[Sharad Pawar]]. The [[Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena]] led [[Eknath Shinde]] government has set a target to complete the redevelopment of the BDD chawls before the [[2024 elections in India|2024 elections.]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Fadnavis sets target of 2024 to complete redevelopment of BDD chawls |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/fadnavis-sets-target-of-2024-to-complete-redevelopment-of-bdd-chawls-101667330032657.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=2 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Worli BDD buildings to be ready by December 2024 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/worli-bdd-buildings-to-be-ready-by-december-2024-mhada/articleshow/96868953.cms |publisher=[[Times of India]] |date=10 January 2023}}</ref>

In January 2023, the Chief Minister [[Eknath Shinde]] approved the allotment of 300 sqft housing units to eligible residents of the BDD chawls in [[Worli]], Naigaon, and NM Joshi Marg (Parel) after the redevelopment process. The new housing units are larger than the previous ones, the largest of which were 269 sqft. The [[Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority]] (MHADA) has been assigned for the redevelopment.<ref>{{cite news |title=BDD Chawl Redevelopment: Eligible residents to get 300 sqft carpet area |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/bdd-chawl-redevelopment-eligible-residents-to-get-300-sqft-carpet-area |publisher=[[The Free Press Journal]] |date=9 January 2023}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Bombay City Improvement Trust]]
* [[ History of Bombay under British rule (1661–1947)]]
* [[History of Mumbai]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}

===Works cited===
*{{Cite book |url=http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/greater_bombay/volume1.html |title=Greater Bombay District Gazetteer |series=Maharashtra State Gazetteers |volume=27 |year=1960 |access-date=13 August 2008 |publisher=[[Government of Maharashtra]] |ref=bom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906220718/http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/greater_bombay/volume1.html  |archive-date=6 September 2008}}

[[Category:1920 establishments in India]]
[[Category:History of Mumbai]]
[[Category:Bombay Presidency]]

Bombay Development Department - Revision history

JerryGuerrero: put up a entry