Affordable homes on city outskirts get eco clearance

In a move that will spell hope for Mumbaiites in search of affordable homes, the state greens authority has given environmental clearance to eight mass housing projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Vasai, Panvel, Karjat and Thane.

In a move that will spell hope for Mumbaiites in search of affordable homes, the state greens authority has given environmental clearance to eight mass housing projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Vasai, Panvel, Karjat and Thane.

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The projects, recently cleared by the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), are mostly mini-townships, and will create 1.76 lakh homes.

One of the biggest projects to get the go-ahead is HDIL’s project in Vasai, which aims to create 1,32,686 houses, including rental homes and flats for sale.

The other big rental-cum-residential project is Panvel’s Hex City township. Being developed by two construction firms, it will have 5,337 rental houses and 7,204 flats for sale.

Environmental clearance was a major hurdle without which construction could not begin. The green panel had been concerned about availability of common amenities, a must for large-scale projects. “In most projects, the clearance is conditional to the developer complying with directives, like sewerage facilities, parking space, rainwater harvesting and fire-fighting provisions,” an SEAC member said, on condition of anonymity.