Once a quiet middle-class neighbourhood reclaimed from the Arabian Sea, Bandra Reclamation is now witnessing one of Mumbai’s most ambitious urban transformations — the Bandra Bay Redevelopment Project, a Rs 1 trillion luxury real estate venture that is set to reshape the city’s western coastline. The shift from ‘Bandra Reclamation’ to ‘Bandra Bay’ marks a defining moment for the area, which was originally home to government housing built by MHADA for engineers, civil servants, and other employees. Over time, the tranquil community gave way to slums and congestion. Now, bulldozers and cranes are rewriting its skyline with 8 million square feet of premium towers. At the heart of this redevelopment are 52 MHADA buildings housing over 1,630 families. These ageing structures will make way for luxury towers with elite amenities under a cluster development plan announced by the state government in April 2025. Each of the 800 new apartments will reportedly be priced at around Rs 550,000 per sq ft, signalling the area’s transformation into one of Mumbai’s most exclusive real estate zones. Among the developers shaping the new Bandra Bay are leading names such as Oberoi Realty, Godrej Properties, L&T Realty, The Wadhwa Group, Hiranandani Communities, Adani Realty, Excel Group, and DLH. Together, they are creating an enclave that blends sea views, urban luxury, and world-class amenities. Plans also include a marina in Mahim Bay, along with sports infrastructure such as an athletics track, shooting and archery ranges, a cricket academy, a football ground, and a five-star hotel, spanning 150 acres of “mixed-use” development. The project’s rise has been enabled by years of regulatory relaxations. In 2016, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) reclassified the Mahim and Backbay coasts as “bays” rather than “seafronts”, reducing the no-development zone (NDZ) from 500 metres to 100 metres. In 2019, the NDZ was further reduced to 50 metres, unlocking hundreds of hectares for developers. The state’s April 2025 redevelopment plan also fast-tracked approvals, requiring consent from just 51 per cent of residents in each colony. Developers were granted a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4, including an FSI of 1 reserved for MHADA’s housing stock. Major transactions have already begun. In February 2024, Adani Realty secured a 24-acre plot from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) by offering 22.79 per cent of revenue, with a development value of around Rs 300 billion. Larsen & Toubro, which lost out on the bid, later partnered with Valor Estate (formerly DB Realty) for a Rs 85 billion redevelopment across 7.5 acres in Bazaar Road. Meanwhile, House of Hiranandani is reportedly exploring redevelopment opportunities at Parijat Society and ONGC Colony, while DLH, Excel Group, Elements Realty, Gurukrupa Realcon, and Inspira Realty are already executing projects like Akshaya, Safalya, New Deep, Poonam, Indraneel, Kaustubh, Mayur, Sandhya Vandan, and Sagar Tarang. The transformation has, however, stirred controversy. Residents of MHADA colonies allege that the government has not consulted them adequately. “We are not slums; we are rightful MHADA residents. How can the authority decide without our consent?” said a member of the MHADA Phase 3 Residents’ Association. Some societies, including Parijat Housing, have already written to the state’s urban development department opposing inclusion in the redevelopment plan. In parallel, slum rehabilitation is also under way. Nargis Dutt Nagar and Nityanand Nagar are being redeveloped by Roshni Developers, Omkar Realtors, Godrej Properties, and Oberoi Realty. Work resumed in 2024 after stalling during the pandemic. “Over 1,500 shanties were demolished, displacing 1,000 families,” said Javed Sayed, a former resident of Nargis Dutt Nagar. “We expect to move back in two to three years.” When they do, they will return to a reimagined landscape — one that no longer answers to the modest name of Bandra Reclamation, but to the gleaming, aspirational identity of Bandra Bay — Mumbai’s next luxury shoreline.