MHADA lottery likely by March 31; around 5,000 affordable homes expected

Mumbai’s affordable housing segment is likely to see a significant development soon as the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) prepares to announce its housing lottery for 2026. According to MHADA officials, the housing draw for Mumbai is expected to be declared before March 31.

Vice President and CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal confirmed the timeline while speaking to reporters on March 5, indicating that the authority is preparing to bring thousands of homes to the market through its annual housing scheme.

The upcoming draw is expected to include around 5,000 affordable housing units across Mumbai. A large share of these homes will come from projects that are still under construction in different parts of the city. Many of these developments are currently at early stages, with only foundation work or a few floors completed. As a result, possession of several units may be possible only after 2028, according to reports.

Among the projects contributing the largest number of units is the Patra Chawl redevelopment in Goregaon West. Officials indicated that between 2,400 and 2,500 flats could come from this development alone. Of these, around 2,300 homes are expected to be reserved for low- and middle-income groups, while the remaining apartments will be offered under the high-income group category.

Although MHADA has not officially disclosed the exact number of flats to be included in the upcoming lottery, officials suggest the total supply will remain close to the 5,000-unit mark.

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the launch of DigiMHADA, a mobile application introduced to streamline access to MHADA services and improve the digital interface for homebuyers and applicants.

Officials also indicated that nearly half of the total housing stock expected in the lottery could be located in the Goregaon area of Mumbai, making it one of the key clusters for the scheme.

The MHADA housing lottery is a government-run housing allocation system designed to provide affordable homes across different income segments. Through a computerized draw process, flats are allotted to applicants belonging to categories such as economically weaker sections (EWS), lower-income groups (LIG), middle-income groups (MIG), and high-income groups (HIG).

Conducted annually across cities including Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik, and Nagpur, the scheme remains one of Maharashtra’s primary mechanisms for distributing affordable housing.

According to official data, MHADA has constructed 5,05,802 dwelling units — including redevelopment housing — since its establishment in December 1977, reinforcing its long-standing role in the state’s housing ecosystem.

With demand for affordable homes continuing to remain strong in Mumbai, the upcoming lottery is expected to draw significant interest from prospective buyers across income categories.

By Sana Khan
Executive Editor, Realty Quarter