MHADA likely to open lottery for 3,000 Mumbai homes in March after poll restrictions end

Mumbai’s long wait for affordable housing could ease slightly in the coming months, with the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) preparing to roll out a new lottery for around 3,000 homes in the city.

Officials familiar with the process say the Mumbai Board of MHADA is ready to announce the draw once the Model Code of Conduct linked to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections is lifted. If timelines hold, the lottery is expected to open in March.

MHADA lotteries are closely watched every year, particularly in Mumbai, where property prices remain out of reach for many first-time buyers. Homes offered through these schemes are typically priced well below market rates, making them a key route to legal and affordable ownership for middle- and lower-income families.

While the overall number of homes has been indicated, MHADA has not yet shared details about where the flats will be located. Information on locations, flat sizes, prices, income categories, eligibility conditions and application dates will be released only through a formal notification. Housing aspirants are advised not to rely on unofficial claims until the detailed brochure is published.

Apart from Mumbai, MHADA is also expected to announce a separate lottery for about 4,000 homes under its Konkan Board. Previous Konkan Board schemes had drawn large numbers of applicants, although buyers had raised concerns over infrastructure readiness in some areas. MHADA has since indicated that issues related to basic amenities and pricing have been reviewed.

Over the past seven decades, MHADA has built and allotted close to nine lakh homes across Maharashtra. In Mumbai, several large redevelopment projects are currently underway, including BDD Chawls, Motilal Nagar, GTB Nagar’s Punjabi Colony, Patra Chawl, Abhyudaya Nagar, Poonam Nagar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Nagar in Andheri. These projects are at different stages of planning and construction and are part of the authority’s broader effort to add to the city’s affordable housing stock.

For many residents, the upcoming lottery represents a rare chance to enter Mumbai’s housing market without taking on unsustainable debt. However, demand is expected to be high, and applicants will need to carefully check eligibility rules and documentation requirements once the application window opens.

Also read: How MHADA housing lotteries work and who is eligible

As the election-related restrictions ease, clearer timelines and location details are expected to emerge, offering hopeful buyers a better sense of whether this round could finally bring them closer to owning a home.