42-storeyed tall towers to house approx. 16,000 residents under the SRA scheme in phases; adjoining the iconic Dhobi Ghat at Mahalaxmi
Mumbai: In a major SRA housing milestone, Mumbai-based redevelopment major Omkar Realtors has commenced delivery of rehab homes in the world’s tallest rehabilitation towers at the iconic Dhobi Ghat (Mahalaxmi), Mumbai. Around 1000 families have started getting their new homes along with 19 retail units in Phase 1 at Saibaba Nagar, Mahalaxmi. The phase 1 handover of this SRA project in two towers will house approximately 5000 residents of societies bordering the dhobi ghat.
Developed under the aegis of the Maharashtra government’s slum rehabilitation scheme, this project will be housing approx. 16,000 slum residents in phases. The iconic Dhobi Ghat is one of the world’s largest outdoor open laundries, with most residents in the vicinity engaged in laundry-based services. This project is spread across 12 acres of prime land in south Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi location and includes luxury housing overlooking the race course and the Arabian Sea.
The joint venture between Omkar and Piramal realty project will primarily benefit dhobis and people in associated labour such as dyeing, drying, transportation, ironing etc. This project is situated more than 150 meters away from the heritage site, though retaining its natural charm.
The entire slum rehabilitation project has also set a qualitative benchmark for rehab development with the state-of-the-art construction and deployment of spaces for welfare centres, society offices and balwadis (education purpose). The 4-towered SRA project is also deploying 16 elevators from leading German brand Schindler, normally offered in premium housing only.
Omkar has been at the forefront of the slum redevelopment space. Omkar is working towards scaling up its high-quality deliveries as a major player in the field. Recently, the company crossed the 3,000-house delivery milestone at Omkar’s Bhoiwada (Parel-Sewri) project and delivered more than 16,000 houses in the SRA space over the past decade.
The annual turnover of the dhobi business is pegged at approximately Rs 125 crore annually, with a major faction of residents associated with the laundry business for their livelihood. More than half of the new generation of dhobis have moved out of the traditional family business.
With technological advancement and mechanization in the washing and drying process, the traditional dhobi way of washing clothes is getting obsolete. Dhobis are upgrading their skill sets in washing that require much lesser quantity of water and also decrease the chances of health hazards.
