The Maha Vikas Aghadi government will soon come up with a policy for the redevelopment of buildings that are in the airport runway funnel zone, said urban development department minister Eknath Shinde.
Shinde held an online meeting with transport minister Anil Parab, elected representatives from Santa Cruz, Vile Parle including BJP’s Parag Alavani, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Potnis, MLC Bhai Jagtap, Sena youth leader Varun Sardesai and senior bureaucrats.
It is estimated that around 20 lakh residents of Ghatkopar, Kurla, Santa Cruz, Andheri, Vile Parle have been affected by the height restriction on account of their proximity to the airport and for safety reasons are not allowed the use of additional floor space index (FSI) and Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) making redevelopment of these buildings economically unviable. Elected representatives said some of the buildings are 60-70 years old.
MLAs demanded the buildings be allowed TDR on the built up area (which can be sold in the market and used elsewhere) and grant permission for the construction of the same number of tenements on the site that reflect in the BMC records.
Principal secretary, UDD, Bhushan Gagarani said the BMC has submitted a detailed report on the issue and recommended two to three options. “For MHADA buildings the BMC has recommended how to allow the residents benefit under section 33(7) which is for the redevelopment of old and dilapidated buildings,” said Gagarani.
In 2019 residents of the affected buildings had got together to prepare a redevelopment plan and submitted it to the state government. The residents had suggested redevelopment be allowed under section 33(7) B which allows an fsi of 3 and the fsi which cannot be consumed on the plot be converted into TDR. They had also suggested that development fees be on par with that for slum redevelopment schemes to bring down the construction cost.
“Once the policy is finalised we shall hold a joint meeting of the urban development department and BMC so that there is clarity,” said Shinde.
