The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) is preparing to offer nearly 5,000 residential units across Mumbai through a housing lottery expected within the next two months, reported Hindustan Times. Almost half of these homes are likely to come from the much-debated Patra Chawl redevelopment project in Goregaon West, the report added. MHADA’s Mumbai arm, the Mumbai Housing and Area Development Board (MHADB), has initiated internal groundwork by identifying projects and available flats. Officials said a consolidated proposal detailing locations and unit counts has already been submitted to MHADA’s vice president and chief executive officer for final approval ahead of the formal announcement.
Once the housing sale is officially declared, MHADA is expected to keep the application window open for about two months. Based on this timeline, the lottery draw is likely to take place either in late April or sometime in May. A large share of the flats proposed in this draw will come from projects that are still under construction across different parts of the city. Many of these developments are at an early stage, with work limited to foundations or a few completed floors, meaning buyers may have to wait several years for possession.
The Patra Chawl redevelopment in Goregaon West is expected to contribute the biggest number of homes, estimated between 2,400 and 2,500 units. Around 2,300 of these flats are likely to be reserved for low- and middle-income groups, while the remaining units will fall under the high-income category. MHADA has secured required approvals from authorities including the Airports Authority of India and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The redevelopment plan includes high-rise towers of up to 40 storeys, reaching a height of roughly 120 metres.
The Patra Chawl project has remained in the spotlight due to allegations of a ₹1,034 crore money laundering case. The controversy led to the arrest of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut in 2022. Investigators alleged that Guru Ashish Construction failed to provide homes to 672 tenants and instead sold development rights to private builders. The Enforcement Directorate claimed funds were diverted to purchase properties linked to Raut’s family, an allegation he has strongly denied, terming the case politically motivated.
Apart from the Mumbai lottery, MHADA’s Konkan Board is also planning a separate housing draw. Traditionally, MHADA conducts large lotteries during the festive season, but a proposed draw around Diwali was postponed due to civic elections and later deferred to 2026. The last Mumbai lottery was held in 2024, offering 2,030 homes and receiving over 1.13 lakh applications. In 2023, more than 1.20 lakh applications were recorded for 4,082 homes across four income groups.