Navi Mumbai: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has taken a strong stand against the high prices of CIDCO’s 26,000 homes in Navi Mumbai. MNS spokesperson and Navi Mumbai city president Gajanan Kale, along with a group of CIDCO lottery winners, met party chief Raj Thackeray, urging him to intervene in the matter.
“The party chief has assured of support and directed senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar to take up the issue with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” said a worker.
Later in the day, the MNS delegation, along with the affected lottery winners, met CIDCO’s Managing Director Vijay Singhal at CIDCO Bhavan in Belapur. During the meeting, which lasted over an hour, the delegation presented detailed arguments on why the housing prices should be reduced.
According to the party, CIDCO received 1.52 lakh applications for the housing scheme before announcing prices. However, once the high prices were revealed, the number of applicants dropped to just 19,000, with nearly 7,000 homes being forcibly allotted. The delegation accused CIDCO of misleading the public and the central government while determining the prices.
The party highlighted that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), homes for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) should be priced below ₹45 lakh, with eligibility restricted to individuals earning up to ₹3 lakh annually. For the Low-Income Group (LIG), the income limit is ₹3 lakh to ₹6 lakh. “However, CIDCO has reportedly set LIG income limits above ₹6 lakh, making it possible for high-income individuals to qualify,” said a representative.
MNS leaders also questioned the price discrepancies among different locations. While a 322 sq. ft. home in Taloja is priced at ₹26 lakh, the same-sized unit costs ₹48 lakh in Kharghar and ₹74 lakh in Vashi. The party also pointed out that CIDCO had promised 322 sq. ft. units in advertisements but had actually allotted 290 sq. ft. homes.
The discussion revealed that despite being confronted with these issues, CIDCO officials remained unwilling to reduce prices. Reacting to this, MNS leader Gajanan Kale warned that the party would intensify its agitation. A massive protest march will be held tomorrow, with MNS and CIDCO lottery winners mobilizing against the authorities.
The meeting was attended by MNS Women’s Wing city president Dr. Aarti Dhumal, city secretary Vilas Ghone, Sachin Kadam, city joint secretary Abhijit Desai, and several CIDCO lottery holders.
