Mumbai, April 26:  The Maharashtra state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday approved the much-delayed Development Plan (DP) 2014-2034. However, the new DP 2034 has curtailed the rights of tenants residing in old residential buildings of Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority(MAHDA), cessed buildings and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) buildings. Earlier, to undertake redevelopment work of these buildings minimum 70 percent consent of tenants was required, however, the requirement has been now brought down to 51 percent. According to  Maharashtra government, the reason behind the move is to pace up the redevelopment projects in Mumbai city.

As per a news report in DNA, city activist has slammed the move and claimed the decision was against the tenants. Chandrashekar Prabhu, a leading city infrastructure activist, said, "Concerned citizens will be on the streets, protesting this move. We will go to court if required, having 70 percent consent was democratic. This is not in favour of tenants."

The news report also quoted Sanjay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing Department who remarked that 51 percent consent requirement is far more democratic, and instead questioned the logic behind 70 percent consent.

For cluster redevelopment, the requirement is of 51 per cent consent of tenants of each building and overall 70 percent consent of tenants in redevelopment projects under Development Control Rule(DCR) 33 (9).

The new DP also paved way for affordable housing projects by unlocking those lands which were reserved under No Development Zone. According to the news report, out of 3,355 hectares of land, which includes No Development Zone to Special Development Zone,  2,100 hectares will be opened for affordable housing. The land will be opened up in various parts. Thirty percent will be used for affordable housing, other 30 percent to developers and the remaining will be used for amenities, open spaces and others.

Meanwhile, the government will also be opening salt pan lands for affordable housing projects. In the approved Development Plan 2014-34, it was mentioned that 330 hectares of salt pan land available in Mumbai will be used to build affordable housing. Also, the DP 2034 has given attention to the South Mumbai (SoBo) part of the island city. The base Floor Space Index (FSI) has been kept same 1.33, however, the permissible FSI has been increased to maximum 3. This FSI boost in island city will help to bring back the population who moved to suburban Mumbai according to real estate experts.

Niranjan Hiranandani, a leading Indian Property Tycoon, co-founder of Hiranandani Groups has appreciated the government for bringing serious efforts to achieve the target of constructing affordable housing in DP 2034 in his tweets.

 

The draft Development Plan 2014-34 was earlier passed in the BMC civic body on August 1, 2017, last year. Corporators cutting across political parties had then proposed around 267 amendments to the plan. These amendments were mainly related to reservations for city open spaces, day care centres, children's park, central park and a museum.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2018 02:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).