Centre nod for more buildings along city coast

In a move that will change Mumbai’s skyline and generate more housing, the Ministry of Environment and Forest on Monday gave its go-ahead to the Maharashtra government’s proposal for real estate development in areas that fall under the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ).

In a move that will change Mumbai’s skyline and generate more housing, the Ministry of Environment and Forest on Monday gave its go-ahead to the Maharashtra government’s proposal for real estate development in areas that fall under the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ).

HT Image

The state government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, had asked Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh for permission in Delhi last week.

In a letter, Ramesh said the suggestion of a public-private partnership model as a means to redevelop CRZ II areas would be incorporated in the Centre’s notification.

As reported in HT, the government had proposed that the state, through the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, would hold 51 per cent stake in redevelopment projects and private developers would invest the rest.

“We got a letter from the Union Environment Minister on Monday. He has agreed to the proposal,” said state environment secretary Valsa Nair Singh, adding that the proposal could be implemented once the notification comes through. This could take up to a year.

The move will mean better housing for residents of 4,000 old buildings, for slumdwellers in 135 shanty clusters as well as additional housing stock for the open market.

CRZ norms restrict development within 500 metres of the coastline, and 38 per cent of the city comes under CRZ. The nod paves the way for real estate development in coastal areas.