Maharashtra panel starts audit of Slum Act to speed up redevelopment

An expert committee has begun auditing Maharashtra's Slum Act after holding its first meeting. The review could shape amendments to speed up redevelopment and improve rehabilitation outcomes.Stock photo used for illustrationMumbai,Oct 11, 2026 18:08 ISTAn 11-member expert committee set up to carry out a performance audit of the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, held its first meeting this week and discussed ways to make the redevelopment process more effective, one of its members said on Sunday.The panel, formed following a directive from the Bombay High Court, met on Friday to review the implementation of the Act, discuss future planning and consider necessary amendments. It has been asked to submit its findings and recommendations within 10 months, according to a Government Resolution issued by the state Housing Department on July 31.MLA Parag Alavni, who is part of the committee, said the meeting also focused on steps to speed up the process and ensure that people benefit from it. He said, "Necessary suggestions were presented to accelerate this process and ensure that citizens benefit from it." The committee will recommend policy and operational measures to expedite slum rehabilitation projects, improve the living standards of slum dwellers and work towards making cities slum-free.The Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing Department will head the committee, while the Chief Executive Officer of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Mumbai, will serve as its member secretary. The panel has been constituted in compliance with directions issued by a special bench of the Bombay High Court on May 8 this year in a suo motu writ petition. According to the Government Resolution, the proceedings followed observations by the Supreme Court in the Yash Developers versus Harihar Kripa Co-operative Housing Society case on the volume of litigation arising under the Slum Act. The committee will examine the implementation and performance of the 1971 law, taking into account the High Court's observations and representations from stakeholders, including developers, landowners, housing societies and legal experts. The SRA chief executive officer has also been directed to set up a dedicated sub-committee of officials from its engineering, co-operation, finance, land acquisition and town planning departments to assist in the audit.With its first meeting now held, the committee has begun reviewing how the 1971 law is working, what changes may be needed and what steps can help speed up slum redevelopment and rehabilitation in Maharashtra. - Ends