Mahayuti Govt Rolls Out Sweeping Mumbai Housing Reforms In Winter Session, Offering Relief To Lakhs Of Home Seekers

Nagpur:  The penultimate day of the winter session of the state legislature witnessed the Mahayuti government making historic decisions that would give major relief to Mumbaikars dreaming to live in an affordable home of their own.

‘Pagdi-Free Mumbai’, OC Amnesty and Redevelopment Push Seen as Game Changers

The biggest decision to make Mumbai ‘pagdi free’, amnesty scheme for lakhs of house owners deprived of occupation certificates (OC), special schemes for housing re-development are being seen as a game changer for the mega metropolis where finding a shelter re4mained an issue for decades. These Mumbai-centric sops announced in Nagpur’s winter session could go a long way in Mahayuti electoral plans to get control over Bombay Municipal Corporation. BMC polls are expected to be announced anytime next week.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced in the state legislature on Saturday that a floor space index of 300 square feet would be provided to economically weaker sections (EWS) house owners and a  free reconstruction of 600 square feet for low income group (LIG) house owners buildings in Funnel Zone and those owning properties in areas adjacent to defence establishments facing restrictions on constructions like height of a building .

Defence-Restricted Areas to Benefit From New Housing Policy

Re-development in these situations had become unviable because of prevalent height restrictions or  defence security norms. Residents of Funnel zone area, and areas like Juhu military transmission station, Kandivli –Malad  COD area, those residential area having restrictions because of national security norms of defense establishments are to be benefited by this new housing for all plan of the government.  More significantly, the unconsumed FSI of the redeveloped buildings can be converted into TDR (transfer of development rights). While giving the incentive FSI, the basic FSI of building owner would be protected. owner would be protected.

The relief announced today is expected to make all housing re-development projects in Mumbai economically feasible, chief minister Fadnavis told the Assembly.

In the legislative council, housing minister and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said the move to make Mumbai Pagdi free would realise own house dreams of over 2.5 lakh families. Under this scheme over 1900 housing buildings built before year 1960 and waiting for re-development would get relief. Re-development of these old buildings was not possible because of 28000 court cases emanating from rent control Act disputes, said Eknath.

 The tenants can claim same FSI in the re-developed housing schemes. All the court cases, with pre-approval of high court would be transferred to fast-track courts and are expected to be resolved in couple of months, clearing all legal hurdles for redevelopment of pagdi scheme buildings, he stressed.

Green TDR, Mill Workers Housing Bank Announced

Shinde also announced a proposal for green TDR for protection of endangered mangrove in Mumbai and creation of mangrove parks. In another major decision, the housing minister announced that a housing stock or bank would be created to benefit mill workers of the 58 textile mills closed in Mumbai.

In yet another relief, Shinde said a 10% discount would be provided to EWS and LIG category applicant who want to buy house from CIDCO in Navi Mumbai. CIDCO is currently building 17000 such houses. Elaborating on his ealrlies announced amnesty plan for Occupation Certificates, Shinde said in about 20, 000 buildings in Mumbay, OCs were denied because of tinkering in original housing plans by the developers who walked away after providing possession of houses to buyers.  Without OC, the owners were charged double taxes and water and other cess, denied benefits li8ke fire security. These house owners  could find buyers to resell  houses for want of OC. Now under the amnesty scheme, the owner would be charged only 50% of premium of the Ready Reckoner rate and exempted from penalties. Lakhs of flat owners would breathe a sigh of relief because of this new provisions under housing for all policy, Shinde said.

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