PUNE: In a move that could significantly alter redevelopment prospects in the Camp area, the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has proposed increasing the permissible floor space index (FSI) to 2 in designated civil pockets, while retaining the existing 0.5 cap in bungalow zones.
The proposal also seeks a marginal increase in FSI for the Mundhwa industrial belt from 0.5 to 0.75, offering relief to industrial units that have long demanded greater development potential. Spread across nearly 230 acres of defence land, the industrial zone has remained constrained by low FSI limits for years.
The draft building bylaws have been submitted last week to the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE) for approval.
PCB chief executive officer (CEO) Vidyadhar Pawar said that the bylaws were drafted in accordance with DGDE guidelines, and have completed all procedural formalities. “We have forwarded the draft for approval, and the decision now rests with the higher authorities,” Pawar said.
If approved, the revised norms are expected to open up redevelopment opportunities in key Camp localities including M G Road, East Street, Taboot Street, Moledina Road, Centre Street and Bhimpura; along with parts of Wanowrie and Ghorpadi. Many of these areas are presently marked by ageing structures and limited redevelopment owing to restrictive building norms.
Officials said that the enhanced FSI will provide legal clarity and allow property owners to rebuild or expand within the prescribed limits. “There has been a sustained demand from residents and business owners for higher FSI in civil areas. This move could finally address that concern,” an official said.
{{/usCountry}}Officials said that the enhanced FSI will provide legal clarity and allow property owners to rebuild or expand within the prescribed limits. “There has been a sustained demand from residents and business owners for higher FSI in civil areas. This move could finally address that concern,” an official said.
{{/usCountry}}Despite the proposed relaxation, the PCB has decided against bringing its norms on par with those of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). A senior engineering official said that building heights under the proposed bylaws would continue to be capped at 18 metres due to infrastructure constraints such as narrow internal roads and limited civic capacity.
The board has retained status quo in bungalow zones, where the FSI remains restricted to 0.5. These areas, located near sensitive defence establishments, will not see any relaxation in construction norms.
“Security considerations are paramount. The Army has consistently opposed any increase in FSI in bungalow areas, and that position remains unchanged,” a senior official said.
The timing of the proposal is significant as the state government continues to deliberate on the proposed merger of cantonment areas with the PMC. Officials indicated that the bylaws could act as a fallback mechanism if the merger proposal fails to materialise.
“There has been no progress on the excision proposal so far. If it does not go through, these bylaws will help regulate and streamline construction activity within cantonment limits,” an official said.
Meanwhile, Camp resident-activist Rajabhau Chavan said, “Thousands of property owners have been unable to redevelop their homes because of these restrictions. The proposed increase is essential to improve living conditions.”
Ghorpadi-based activist Sanjay Kawade echoed similar concerns and stressed the need for implementation. “A similar draft was prepared years ago but never saw the light of day. Unless it is implemented, this too will remain just another document,” he said.
A senior DGDE official described the exercise as a contingency measure. “The idea is to keep an alternative framework ready in case the merger with PMC does not take place. It ensures administrative continuity,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
However, some former cantonment representatives remain sceptical about the exercise amid uncertainty over larger policy decisions.
“The ministry of defence has been unable to resolve key issues such as FSI parity and financial arrangements for years. With the push to merge civil areas with municipal limits, such exercises risk becoming redundant,” said Peter Durairaj, an activist from the Secunderabad cantonment.
Bylaws’ debate continues across cantonments
Building regulations in cantonments across the country have remained contentious. In 2015, the ministry of defence directed all cantonment boards to prepare draft building bylaws, but approvals in several cases are still pending.
The Sumit Bose committee, constituted to recommend reforms, had suggested aligning FSI norms in cantonment civil areas with those of neighbouring municipal corporations. However, the recommendations have not been implemented so far.
With the Pune Cantonment merger proposal pending since 2024, uncertainty looms over the future of development control in these areas. If civil pockets are eventually merged with the PMC, the authority to grant building permissions will shift to the civic body, significantly paring the role currently played by defence authorities.