Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s Improvement Committee on Friday (August 14, 2026) approved the leasing of a 25,543 sq. m plot at Century Mills in Mumbai for 30 years at ₹1,321 crore for redevelopment to Peddar Realty Ltd, a Mumbai-based realtor. 

The Improvement Committee chaired by Sandhya Vipul Doshi of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) approved the proposal saying that the redevelopment of land will help rehabilitate the workers’ families and open more housing opportunities. The committee particularly deals with BMC-owned plots, buildings and other properties, chaired by Sandhya Vipul Doshi of the Shiv Sena (Shinde), elected unopposed on February 23. 

During the tender process, Peddar realty was a highest bidder, offering ₹1,351 crore against the BMC’s quoted price of ₹1,348 crores, only higher by 0.22%. 

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Along with Peddar realty, K. Raheja Corp, Keystone Realtors and Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate were in the race. According to BMC proposal, the redevelopment is to be done of Century Mills workers’ colony, comprising 23 buildings, 476 residential tenements and 10 shops.

The residents of the colony will be rehabilitated by the builder, giving minimum carpet area of 405 sq. ft. for eligible residents. It also includes, development of commercial residential units.

However, there was Opposition from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress as the land parcel’s location is prime and should be used to secure public housing and create long-term public value instead giving it to private development.

“If reservation has to be changed then close the DP ( Development Plan) department. The DP was made after suggestions and objection. All these reservation change proposals are driven by personal agenda. They have majority so we are helpless,” said Vishakha Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader. 

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Another Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Sachin Padwal asked the committee to rename the committee as “Reservation Change Committee”, saying, “From last six months at least 40 reservation change proposals are approved. You want to privatise everything.”

In 1927, the plot was leased to Century Spinning and Manufacturing Ltd for 28 years for housing purposes of their employees. In 1995, the ownership of land was disputed but after the Supreme Court judgment on January 7, 2025 it was transferred to BMC. 

During the discussion, the concerns of the legality of such approval was also raised. The opposition asked whether the proposal has considered the special regulatory framework applicable to cotton textile mill lands under Regulation 35 of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034.