IE : To redevelop cessed buildings, 2.5 FSI for transit camps : Aug 30, 2007

To redevelop cessed buildings, 2.5 FSI for transit camps

Incentive of 1 FSI for sale tenements

Dhaval Kulkarni

Mumbai, August 29: In a move that may ensure speedy redevelopment of the
dilapidated cessed buildings in Mumbai, the state government has granted a
floor space index (FSI) of 2.5 for the construction of transit camp
tenements to accommodate the residents during the reconstruction period.
Apart from clearing the decks for the reconstruction of the cessed
buildings, many of them old and dilapidated, the move will also help
increase housing stock in the city.

The order issued by the state government's urban development department
(UDD) on Wednesday provides that the FSI to the extent of 1.5 of the total
2.5 FSI will be used for the construction of the transit tenements and the
rest will be used for the construction of tenements for sale to be developed
only by the authority concerned.

The 180-sq ft transit tenements-instead of 225 sq ft-will be constructed
under this provision and the schemes will be implemented by the authority
concerned without appointing any developer.
The order modifies the Development Control Regulations (DCR) for Greater
Mumbai, 1991.

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) had written
to the UDD in July 2006, asking for the grant of 2.5 FSI for the
construction of transit tenements for the redevelopment of cessed buildings.
Apart from providing maximum transit camp accommodation for the speedy
redevelopment of the old and dilapidated buildings, the additional FSI will
serve as an incentive to subsidise the cost of transit tenements.

Senior officials from the urban development and housing departments said
residents of dilapidated cessed buildings often opposed the redevelopment of
the structure as they had apprehensions about the quality of the transit
camp accommodation.

The location of the transit accommodation in the suburbs was also a problem
for many city dwellers.

A housing department official said: "The transit camp accommodation
available now is inadequate for accommodating the residents of the cessed
buildings in case a major reconstruction programme is undertaken. Increasing
the stock of this transit accommodation is a must to lay the ground for such
a rehabilitation programme."

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is supposed to publish the requisite
notice inviting suggestions and objections on the modification within a
period of 60 days from the date of issue of the order.

Currently, FSI of 4 or the FSI required to rehabilitate the tenants of
existing buildings, whichever is more, is permitted for the repairs and
reconstructions of cessed buildings and urban renewal schemes undertaken by
MHADA and other agencies in Mumbai.

The state also has plans to construct 6,000 transit tenements on mill lands
in addition to an equal number of tenements to be constructed for textile
mill workers staying in the mill belt of Mumbai.

Publication : IE; Section: MN; Pg : 1; Date : 30/8/07
URL : http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=253505