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The Bhendi Bazaar Redevelopment Project in Mumbai, driven by the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT), is being recognised as one of India's most ambitious cluster redevelopment initiatives. Spread across 16.5 acres, it is replacing over 250 unsafe buildings with modern, sustainable towers while preserving the area's cultural and commercial character. More than 25,000 residents, most of them tenants, are being resettled as homeowners in well-planned apartments with improved amenities. The transformation extends to wider roads, green podiums, parking for thousands of vehicles, and sustainable features such as rooftop solar energy and native tree plantations.
The Bhendi Bazaar Redevelopment Project, spearheaded by the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust, is being positioned as India's prototype for smart inner-city renewal. The initiative spans 16.5 acres and is replacing more than 250 dilapidated structures with contemporary infrastructure while retaining the locality's cultural and commercial pressence. The objective is not limited to replacing old buildings with high-rise towers but to provide families with dignity, ownership, and a healthier way of life at the very heart of Mumbai. Advertisement
For decades, over 25,000 residents lived in cramped, unsafe housing where nearly 80% of buildings had been deemed unfit by housing authorities. More than 90% of families were tenants, with most confined to less than 300 sq. ft. of space and lacking private sanitation facilities. This narrative is now being reshaped. As part of one of India's largest cluster redevelopments, tenants are returning as homeowners to thoughtfully designed apartments offering a minimum of 375 sq. ft. of carpet area, private bathrooms, and modern conveniences.
The transformation is extending beyond housing into the very fabric of the neighbourhood. Once synonymous with congestion and narrow bylanes, Bhendi Bazaar is being reimagined with 18-metre-wide roads, pedestrian-friendly walkways, and landscaped podium areas. For the first time, organised parking for 3,500 vehicles is being introduced to ease traffic pressures. Long-standing shops are reopening in larger, more attractive spaces, ensuring commercial vibrancy remains alongside residential upliftment.
From an architectural perspective, the development is a fusion of legacy and modernity. Divided into self-sustaining clusters with green zones and open podiums, the project features towers such as Al-Sa'adah, completed in 2019, which houses 610 families and 128 businesses in a dignified setting influenced by Fatimid design. The forthcoming Al-Ezz sector, with its two 53-storey towers, will accommodate more than 1,200 families and 250 businesses, while the An-Nasr cluster will house over 1,300 families and 370 businesses. These structures are aligned along a north-south axis to optimise ventilation and reduce heat ingress, while also integrating sustainable elements including rooftop solar panels generating 600 kw, waste disposal chutes on each floor, and advanced fire safety systems. More than 700 indigenous trees are to be planted, forming a much-needed green buffer.
At its heart, the project is centred on people and their futures. Children will have dedicated play zones, women will be able to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities from secure homes, and families will benefit from healthier and brighter living spaces.
The Bhendi Bazaar redevelopment represents more than construction innovation; it serves as a model of how urban renewal can empower communities, preserve essence of the place, and create inclusive and sustainable environments in India's cities.
Source: Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust
5th Jun, 2025
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