Draw up a policy for revamp of gaothans in MMR: HC to govt

Acting on a petition filed last week by two Ambernath residents against heavy congestion in gaothans, a bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice Sandeep Shinde has given the department a month to formulate the policy.

The Bombay high court has directed the Maharashtra urban development department (UDD) to formulate a comprehensive policy to enable the redevelopment of gaothans – areas in and around old villages — across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Acting on a petition filed last week by two Ambernath residents against heavy congestion in gaothans, a bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice Sandeep Shinde has given the department a month to formulate the policy. (HT FILE)

Acting on a petition filed last week by two Ambernath residents against heavy congestion in gaothans, a bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice Sandeep Shinde has given the department a month to formulate the policy. The petitioners, who reside in a gaothan, said they are deprived of basic civic facilities and unable to deal with their own properties as their area has become congested. The bench said a comprehensive policy for redevelopment of gaothans “is the need of the day.”

“With such areas predominantly comprising old houses and buildings, no redevelopment of properties is possible unless a comprehensive policy is chalked out,” it added. The bench said a separate policy for gaothans was also necessary to ensure new constructions in these congested areas are safe and do not contravene public policy or laws related to urban planning.