The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has floated a Rs 6.1 billion construction tender for Maha Nivas, a premium residential project in Navi Mumbai exclusively reserved for senior public officials and elected representatives. Designed by noted architect Hafeez Contractor, the development is located along Palm Beach Road in Belapur’s Central Business District.Maha Nivas will feature around 350 apartments, with 3-BHK units of 1,270 sq. ft priced at Rs 24.5 million and 4-BHK units of 1,800 sq. ft priced at Rs 34.7 million. Flats are being offered at Rs 19,500 per sq. ft, almost half the prevailing market rate of Rs 30,000–60,000 per sq. ft in the area. CIDCO has already received 550 applications from MPs, MLAs, MLCs, judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, and senior IAS and IPS officers. Applicants were required to pay a Rs 100,000 registration fee, with allotments to be made through a lottery. Buyers will not be allowed to sell their flats for three years after allotment.Strategically positioned near the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, the project promises prime connectivity. The gated complex will offer landscaped gardens, forest zones, cycling and walking tracks, a swimming pool, mini-auditorium, amphitheatre, sports courts and a clubhouse.The Rs 6.1 billion tender covers full execution of the project within 42 months, including electrical and plumbing systems, fire safety provisions and environmental compliance. CIDCO vice-chairman and managing director Vijay Singhal said the scheme optimises floor space index (FSI) to deliver high-quality housing within a compact footprint. He stressed that limited land availability and demand among senior officials justified the scheme, which aligns with the government’s ‘Housing for All’ agenda.Earlier, CIDCO appointed Tata Consulting Engineers and Hiten Sethi & Associates as project management consultants at a cost of Rs 280 million, alongside a Rs 150 million contract for architectural design. The scheme has, however, drawn criticism from housing activists and developers. Manohar Shroff, senior vice president of MCHI-CREDAI Navi Mumbai, called it “exclusivist planning,” arguing that prime public land is being reserved for VIPs at subsidised rates, while private developers face high costs and legal hurdles in similar locations.