Legal Row Stalls Transfer of 32 NHDC Green Spaces at Dagotière Estate

A legal impasse stemming from a 2021 decision has halted the transfer of green spaces at the NHDC Résidence Lavande housing estate to the Moka District Council, it has been confirmed.

Housing Minister Shakeel Mohamed revealed that the local government ministry had previously ruled that maintaining these areas does not fall under the purview of local authorities under the current Local Government Act.

Because legislative amendments to remedy the issue have yet to be finalised, the National Housing Development Company (NHDC) remains temporarily responsible for upkeep.

To address the broader, systemic issue facing these estates, the Minister announced a forthcoming national scheme.

Government officials plan to visit every NHDC and New Social Living Development (NSLD) estate across the island to propose a comprehensive, integrated management plan for communal areas.

Financed in part by a monthly resident contribution of Rs 200, the initiative will give residents the final say on how their shared spaces are managed.

The national roll-out is scheduled to begin in Constituency No. 19 before expanding progressively across the country.

In the meantime, the NHDC has deployed localized maintenance efforts at Résidence Lavande.

A sweeping cleanup campaign commenced on 6 May 2026 and is scheduled to run until 5 June. As of 21 May, 50% of the estate’s children’s playground had successfully been restored.

The Résidence Lavande estate consists of 656 housing units. In addition to the current disputed green spaces, its communal infrastructure includes a football pitch, a jogging track, a community centre, and 32 individual green areas.

Source: l’Express