Don't allow high-rises in city till December 2012, Sena tells state

The Shiv Sena has asked the state government not to allow any new high-rises in the city till the updated Development Plan (DP) for the city is ready by the end of 2012.

The Shiv Sena has asked the state government not to allow any new high-rises in the city till the updated Development Plan (DP) for the city is ready by the end of 2012.

HT Image

The reason: New constructions could burden the existing civic infrastructure like water supply, parking facility and roads.

Rahul Shewale, chairman of the civic standing committee, has written a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan saying the government-appointed committee on high-rises should not clear any new proposals for buildings higher than seven storeys.

The DP is important as it defines the land-use pattern and states the terms for educational institutions, plots for health purposes and open spaces for a given population. The last DP was approved in 1991. “The new DP will come into existence in early 2013,” a civic official said.

The DP is updated every 20 years to consider the growth of the city.

“The state has sanctioned additional FSI for various types of land usage like a commercial hub in Nariman Point, SRA projects and hospitals. While granting such permissions, supporting infrastructure should not be compromised under any circumstances,” Shewale said.

Apart from 35-40 proposals with the high-rise committee, the proposed 117-storeyed tower by Lodha Developers in Worli is also pending. According to the BMC, buildings more than 70 metres high or of around seven to eight storeys, are considered high-rises.