Island city to get major makeover as chief minister clears FSI hike

A facelift is on the cards for cluttered areas of the island city, especially south Mumbai, which is home to more than 16,000 old and dilapidated buildings.

A facelift is on the cards for cluttered areas of the island city, especially south Mumbai, which is home to more than 16,000 old and dilapidated buildings.

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On Saturday, the state government approved a policy that removes all hurdles redevelopment projects had been facing.

This means more than 65,000 people living in old structures and chawls will get flats, free of cost, in the redeveloped buildings. What’s more, tenants will get flats of a minimum 300 sq ft (instead of the earlier 250sq ft) and a maximum 750 sq ft in the new structures.

In return, developers will earn through the construction of towers where flats can be sold at market rates. A major change in the policy is the hike in maximum floor space index from 2.5 to 3 so that redevelopment projects become feasible for developers.

The state government had announced the move a couple of years ago, but no decision was taken at the time. The decision will not only be applicable to cessed buildings (the government collects tax from residents or the tenants of such structures) but also on those built before 1969 and are not cessed.

“Amendments in Section 33(7) (that covers redevelopment of old and dilapidated structures) of the Mumbai development control rules, will ensure a minimum 300 square feet and a maximum 750 square feet flat for tenants. Also, they need not pay maintenance for 10 years,” chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said.

The new amendment also makes provisions for buildings being redeveloped but work completed only till plinth level. At least 400 such properties will benefit from the changes in the law. Buildings with a width to height ratio of more than 1:9 will be referred to the civic body’s high-rise committee.