E-Paper
MHADA seeks powers of planning authority to rehabilitate residents of SGNP
Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has proposed to become the planning authority for the rehabilitation of over 15,000 residents living in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) area in Mumbai. They have also requested permission to use a higher Floor Space Index (FSI) for the project.
Mumbai: In order to expedite the decade old pending issue regarding the rehabilitation of over 15,000 residents living in the area of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has submitted the proposal to state government to appoint housing authority as the planning authority for the project on 90 acres of land and also grant the permission to use the scheme with higher Floor Space Index (FSI).
During the monsoon session of state legislature in July 2023, the issue regarding the delay in rehabilitation of over 15,000 residents living in the area of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) came up for discussion. The state government already rehabilitated many residents living in SGNP before 1995 but over 15,000 residents were struggling for the rehabilitation since 2008. During the discussion, the state government informed that in 1997, the high court had ordered to rehabilitate the residents living in SGNP outside the national park by charging ₹7,000. SRA was assigned the responsibility of the scheme and in the first phase it rehabilitated 11,359 residents at Chandivali. That scheme was implemented by Ms Sumer Corporation and the work of only 299 flats was pending. In 2008 other 16,651 residents paid the charges and out of that 13,486 were declared eligible and besides that rehabilitation of 1795 families from tribal hamlets were also proposed.
After that the state government has asked MHADA to expedite the process for rehabilitation. Accordingly MHADA has now submitted the proposal and sought the powers of planning authority for 90 acres of land in Marol-Maroshi. Under this project tribals living in SGNP and the slum dwellers in the area will be rehabilitated. “We have submitted the proposal to the state government to appoint the MHADA as planning authority for the 90 acres plot. We have also asked for permission to allow MHADA to undertake this project under the development rule 33 (5) which will allow us to use the higher FSI. In the current system we can use only 2.4 FSI but if we develop the plot under 33 (5) we will be able to use 4 FSI and it will help to accommodate all residents.” said Milind Borikar, chief officer of Mumbai board of MHADA.
He added that as of now BMC is planning authority and If MHADA becomes a planning authority for the development of this plot it will help to expedite the process as only one agency will be involved in the work of rehabilitation which is pending for years.
Borikar also said that MHADA made attempts to construct the houses for the rehabilitation through a tender process by offering TDR but did not succeed. So now MHADA has submitted a fresh proposal to develop the project under other DC rules which will provide higher FSI.
