The A H Wadia Trust, one of Mumbai’s largest private landowners, has sold a 5.5-acre land parcel in Kole Kalyan, Andheri Taluka, for Rs 71 crore. According to CRE Matrix, the transaction was registered on February 3, 2023, with a stamp duty payment of Rs 10.70 crore. The buyer, Global Eco Hotels, operates in the hospitality segment, including hotels, camping sites, and short-stay accommodation businesses.
Deal Delayed for More Than a Decade
Interestingly, the trust had first invited bids for the land parcel in 2010. Global Eco Hotels had emerged as the winning bidder at that time with an offer of Rs 51 crore. However, the transaction remained pending for several years due to procedural and regulatory issues.
The deal was eventually completed after the Charity Commissioner directed the buyer to clear the trust’s pending dues. As a result, Global Eco Hotels paid an additional Rs 20 crore. Therefore, the final transaction value is Rs 71 crore.
A H Wadia Trust’s Legacy in Mumbai
The A H Wadia Trust is a public charitable trust known for its philanthropic work across Maharashtra and Gujarat. The trust regularly supports poverty alleviation initiatives, medical aid for underprivileged communities, and educational assistance for students.
It also contributes funds to the Parsi General Hospital located at Breach Candy in South Mumbai.
The trust is named after Ardeshir Hormusji Wadia. He received a lease for the Kurla region in the early 19th century. The leased region included six villages — Mohili, Kole Kalyan, Marol, Sahar, Asalphe, and Parjapur — for an annual rent of Rs 3,587.
Before his death in 1882, Ardeshir Hormusji Wadia directed the trustees to sell portions of the estate. They did this through auctions or private contracts to support charitable activities.
Vast Land Holdings Face Encroachment Challenges
Like several old Parsi-controlled trusts in Mumbai, the A H Wadia Trust has faced significant challenges related to encroachments and illegal structures on its land parcels.
A Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) survey conducted in 2015 reportedly showed that the trust owned around 361 acres in Kurla. However, a large portion of these holdings had already been occupied by slums and unauthorized constructions.
One of the trustees had earlier stated that many land parcels were acquired by the government decades ago. These were later returned to the trust in heavily encroached conditions.
Over the years, multiple developers have reportedly approached the trust with redevelopment proposals involving slum rehabilitation projects.
Legal Disputes Over Encroachments
The trust has also pursued legal action to protect its land holdings. A few years ago, it filed a contempt petition in the Bombay High Court against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over alleged failure to demolish illegal structures on trust-owned land in Kurla.
The transaction highlights the continued importance of large legacy landowners in Mumbai’s real estate market, especially in redevelopment-prone locations such as Kurla and Andheri Taluka.
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