Maha Cabinet clears Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme for Mumbai ahead of BMC elections

Mumbai, Oct 7 (IANS) Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday, ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, approved the implementation of the Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme through the Brihanmumbai Slum Rehabilitation Authority for the eradication of slums on large private, government and semi-government land in the Mumbai area.

The move aims to push the government’s goal of making Mumbai slum free.

“Mumbai has slums as well as some old dilapidated buildings, construction sites, tenant-occupied buildings, vacant land unsuitable for construction and some settlements. The cluster redevelopment scheme will be implemented to ensure that such areas are redeveloped in an integrated and sustainable manner in terms of urban planning. So that all civic amenities can also be developed in a modern and scientific manner, thereby improving the quality of life of the citizens of this place. As per the provisions of this scheme, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority will be the nodal agency for the Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme,” said the government release.

The Slum Rehabilitation Authority will identify a cluster of land having a minimum contiguous area of 50 acres, which shall include more than 51 per cent slum area.

The cluster area identified by the Chief Executive Officer, Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Greater Mumbai, will be subject to the approval of a high-level committee to be constituted under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary, Housing and thereafter, the government.

The redevelopment plan should be given to a government agency for implementation through a joint venture (JV) or a private developer should be appointed through a tender process or if a developer has more than 40 percent of the total area of such a group redevelopment plan, then the decision to implement the group redevelopment plan through the developer will be taken with the prior permission of the government as per the recommendations of the high-level committee, said the government release.

“In case of land of the Central Government as well as the undertakings under its jurisdiction, if the Central Government/concerned undertakings give their consent, then this land will be included in the Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme,” said the government release.

“If some buildings in the Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme are eligible for development under provisions other than Regulation 33(10) of the Development Control and Promotion Rules, 2034 (33(7), 33(5), 33(9) or others), then if such buildings are included in the cluster redevelopment, they will be given the benefit provided under 33(10) or the benefit available under the relevant provisions, whichever is higher,” said the government release.

The owners of private land will be provided with a developed plot with an equivalent floor area index, valued on the lines of the Town Planning Scheme (TPS), at a rate of approximately 50 per cent of the total land value of the land, if possible, with the prior approval of the High Level Committee for inclusion in the proposed slum cluster redevelopment scheme.

If the private land owners reject such a proposal, such land will be acquired as per the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR ACT), 2013. The cost of land acquisition will be borne by the promoter/developer implementing the project.

“If there are slums in the areas affected by the Coastal Regulation ("CRZ") Zone - One and Zone - Two, such slums will be integrated into the Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme. Also, the slums therein will be rehabilitated in any part of the Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme,” said the government release.

Public facilities, as per rules, will be constructed on the land vacated by the rehabilitation of the huts above Zone-1. Also, the developer will be able to construct a retail unit on the land vacated by the rehabilitation of the huts above Zone-2, as per the rules.

In a Slum Cluster Redevelopment Scheme, if it is practically possible to construct more than the rehabilitation, then construction beyond the limit of 4 floor space index (FSI) may be permitted.

However, such construction shall be used only for the purpose of clearing slums not suitable for development on land outside the Cluster Redevelopment Scheme or for the rehabilitation of Project Affected Persons (PAP). Incentive benefits under Regulation 33(10) of the Development Control Rules, 2034, will be provided for such construction, added the government release.

--IANS

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