Maharashtra set to see more highrises, construction in its green belts

Under the proposed new norms for integrated township projects, developers will now be permitted to exploit up to 3.6 times the existing building rights on green belts. Following the CM’s nod, the revised policy will now be presented to the state cabinet.

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This is the latest in a slew of measures to open up agricultural and no-development zones to construction. Last May, the government had increased construction rights for industry on farmland. Later, it extended a similar incentive for wayside amenities such as restaurants and malls and luxury hotels along state and national highways. Norms for conversion of green belts up to 25 hectares into residential zones were eased too.

Official documents accessed by The Indian Express reveal that the government has justified the move by arguing that it was needed to meet the need for housing.

It has further reasoned that “increasing construction rights on such lands for a township project would lessen the demand for diversion of more agricultural lands for construction purposes”.

A developer is permitted to set up an integrated township project in a composite plot of 40 hectares or more with necessary infrastructure and amenities.

Existing norms applicable to such townships permit a floor space index (FSI) up to 1.7 for residential zones depending on the size and the location of the plot, whereas an FSI of 0.6 is available for such projects on green belts. But the revised policy, approved by the CM, has done away with the distinction within zones. Instead, it proposes an FSI of up to 2.2 for both residential and green zones. FSI is a tool that defines the extent of construction permissible on a plot. It is the ratio of the built-up area to the total plot area. This simply means that under the revised policy, a development will be able to construct up to 2.2 times the gross plot area regardless of its designated land use.

Emphasising the significance of the move, a senior official said most of the township projects cleared so far had come up on green belts.

In fact, official documents reveal, 31 out of the 33 projects approved since the government adopted a policy to incentivise townships were planned on agricultural and no-development zones.

Peri-urban areas near Pune account for the highest number of such projects at 20, followed by the Konkan region, which includes the Mumbai metropolitan belt (8), and Nagpur (5). Construction work is already going on in 17 out of the 33 projects. The government has said the revised policy can be applied even to the existing township projects.

Under the revised rules, a developer setting up a township will be entitled for a basic FSI of 1. But those coming up in green belts will have to pay a premium ranging between 10 and 30 per cent of the ready reckoner rates (depending on the designated use) for conversion of these into residential zones. Further depending on the size of the plot, a developer will now also be eligible for an additional FSI of 0.7-1 on payment of another premium, also computed at 30 per cent of the land value. Besides, an additional 0.2 FSI will be available to the developers against utilising 20 per cent of the basic FSI for building homes for economically weaker sections, which is a mandatory norm.

Promoting the walk-to-work concept, the existing township policy makes it compulsory for developers to set aside 20 per cent of the built-up area for economic activity, which has been retained in the revised policy too. The government has categorised businesses centreed around education, hospitality, healthcare, and entertainment, among other activities, as economic activity. A senior government official said the idea was to create employment opportunities for people near their residences. “The move will also de-congest developed economic centres like Mumbai,” he added.

Further replicating the smart cities model for these townships, the Fadnavis government has decided to make it mandatory for the developers to build cycling tracks, dedicated bus transport services, pedestrian pathways, Wifi connectivity, 24*7 water supply, and green buildings, among other facilities, in these townships. Senior officials said a condition that the developers would complete these projects within ten years of obtaining the building permission, and continue to maintain it themselves until the township became part of a municipal council had been imposed.

With some leading developers, including those seen to be close to the ruling regime, setting up some of these projects, sources confirmed that there was a clamour for incentivising such housing projects further. The government has argued that such townships will promote planned development, and uplift the overall quality of life for locals.

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