Mumbai building redevelopment: Proposed policy ensures minimum 300 sq ft for all citizens
Mumbai plans uniform redevelopment rules, offering a minimum of 300 sq ft to all residents in old buildings.
After resolving the deadlock over the redevelopment of 388 dilapidated MHADA buildings in Mumbai, the state government is now considering uniform rules to extend benefits to all citizens during building redevelopment. The proposed policy ensures a minimum area of 300 square feet for residents, even if their flats are less than 300 square feet, promoting fairness in redevelopment projects.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed the administration to grant the benefits of Development Control Rule 33(7) to the 388 MHADA flat owners. MHADA had previously redeveloped these buildings three to four decades ago, demolishing around 900 old structures and providing 27,373 flats in the island city. The urban development department (UDD) of the state government is developing a formula and rules for a second redevelopment under 33(7).
UDD officers stated that residents in cessed buildings currently receive free homes of at least 300 square feet in redevelopment projects. CM Shinde's announcement to extend these benefits to residents of the 388 MHADA buildings prompted discussions about a comprehensive policy decision. The new decision aims to offer free houses of a minimum 300 square feet to all Mumbai residents living in 100-to-200-square-feet homes in old buildings.
In a related development, a delegation from MHADA Sangharsh Kruti Samiti, led by former Congress MLA Madhu Chavan, met with UDD additional chief secretary Aseemkumar Gupta. They demanded that the decision on the redevelopment of 388 buildings be executed under 33(7), aligning with CM Shinde's assembly announcement. Gupta assured the delegation that the decision would adhere to Shinde's announcement, and the benefits would extend to other buildings in new orders.