Twenty Mumbai municipal markets may soon be up for sale

Three years ago, the Shiv Sena-led municipal corporation approved the redevelopment of the heritage Crawford market by a private developer. There was a public outcry, with citizens’ outfits taking to the streets in protest against the “sell-out”.

Promptly, plans to let private developers redevelop markets were shelved. But that hibernation phase seems to be over now. The market redevelopment agenda has come to the fore again. And this time, around 20 municipal markets are up for grabs.

On Thursday, March 25, the Sena-led improvements committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will discuss the revised policy guidelines laid down for private redevelopment of municipal markets. The same day, proposals of redevelopment of three municipal markets — the Hirachand Desai and Pant Nagar municipal markets, both at Ghatkopar, and Major Hemant Manjrekar municipal market, at Sion Koliwada — will also be discussed.

While the revised policy guidelines have been proposed with the aim to redevelop all 92 municipal markets in the city, civic officials said that the Sena leadership was keen to clear proposals for 38 markets — 20 in the island city and 18 in the suburbs — on a priority basis. The formalities for private redevelopment of these markets have already been set in motion.

Just like the old policy, which was scrapped following the Crawford controversy, the proposed new policy offers attractive FSI incentives to developers. An FSI of up to 4 could be used for projects in the island city, while for suburban plots the FSI will be half of it.The BMC will also be offering them FSI perks.