The government gave its seal of approval to changes like niches, ducts, voids, lily ponds, deck parking, refuge areas etc on Thursday.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made changes in the city’s developmental control rules so that all free-of-FSI components will now be counted into the FSI. The government gave its seal of approval to these changes on Thursday.
Civic chief Subodh Kumar used architectural designs submitted by developers to the BMC to expose how they have been getting additional floor area by proposing free-of-FSI features — like niches, ducts, voids, lily ponds, deck parking, refuge areas etc — in such a way that they could be merged with the adjoining rooms.
A senior civic official said: “A scrutiny of various proposals revealed that ducts, flowerbeds and voids were proposed in such a way that they could be merged with the main rooms to get more space. In some cases, the flowerbed area is almost 50% of the permissible floor area.”
He added: “Up to 10% of the area of cantilever balconies is free from FSI in residential buildings. But balconies are often subsequently enclosed and merged with the rooms.” Under DC Regulations 1991, balconies can be enclosed only with the prior permission of the municipal commissioner.
“In some cases, deck parking alone is equivalent to the flat area. An area of 300-400 sq ft is sanctioned per flat in the name of lily ponds with deck area. We need to curb this practice,” said municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar in his letter to the UDD.
“It is necessary to bring transparency and rationalise these provisions. It is proposed to count some of the features in the FSI. We will charge premium for features such as deck parking, flowerbeds, ducts, voids, niches, pocket and covered terraces, AC plant room and meter rooms.”
According to the modification, the premium for residential, industrial and commercial buildings will be 100%, 125% and 200% of the rate of the developed land.
Pankaj Joshi, executive director of the Urban Design and Research Institute (UDRI), welcomed the commissioner’s move. “It will bring transparency while calculating the carpet area. Buyers illegally encroach on balconies, flowerbeds, ducts, etc to increase the size of their houses. This will not happen now. Restructuring of pillars and rooms will be stopped,” he said.
“Following the decision, developers may increase property rates. But property prices will come down in the long run, benefiting buyers. Misleading terms like built-up and super built-up will fade away,” he added.
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