MUMBAI: A day after the Maharashtra legislature gave MHADA the legal authority to redevelop old and dilapidated cessed buildings, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday urged the chief minister to halt the eviction notices served on tenants living in the 13,000-odd such buildings and direct MHADA to register the tenants to protect their rights over their homes.Mumbai, India - Oct 28, 2023 : Shivsena ( Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray ) leader Aditya Thackeray interacts with Media at Matoshree, Bandra, in Mumbai, India, Saturday, Oct 28, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)Amendments to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development (MHADA) Act were passed in both houses of the state legislature on Friday, paving the way for the redevelopment of the 13,000-odd dilapidated buildings in Mumbai. The buildings will be reconstructed through the Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board, an arm of the housing body.The redevelopment of cessed buildings, most of them in the island city, has been a contentious issue, with land owners challenging MHADA’s authority to redevelop these buildings in the Supreme Court. Government officials say the amendment could strengthen MHADA’s case in the apex court.Addressing the media on Saturday, Aaditya Thackeray said the amendment bill should have been passed two years ago. Now that it has been cleared, the state government should ensure that the counsel for MHADA and the state will remain present during the hearing in the apex court on July 20, facilitating the court to deliver its verdict.Thackeray also urged people living in cessed buildings to resist eviction as the court is yet to deliver its verdict. “I want to tell people living in these cessed buildings that people will try to tempt you, saying the government has passed the act. But let the SC give its verdict. Many landlords are trying to pressurise tenants, to evict them. Once you are evicted, you lose your rights over your home. Don’t let that happen,” said Thackeray.He also requested chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to direct MHADA to register these tenants. “Once MHADA registers these tenants, their rights will be protected. So the CM should order MHADA to start the registration process. He should also stop the eviction notices given to the tenants,” said Thackeray.The Sena (UBT) leader also demanded that retired police personals be given homes in Mumbai. He said the redevelopment of MHADA buildings will fetch the government “thousands of homes” across city. The government should give some of these, after charging the construction cost, to retired police employees, he said.