Sena,tenants to protest MHADA redevelopment delay

Party MLA Subhash Desai said despite raising the issue in the monsoon session of assembly and holding a number of meetings with MHADA,no decision had been taken on the matter even as thousands of families continued to live in danger.

As per the earlier policy,developers paid a premium to MHADA in lieu of additional FSI and the subsequent additional built-up area. This was modified in 2010 to handing over two-third of additional built-up area to MHADA to generate affordable housing.

“Of the 56 MHADA layouts,only six have been redeveloped. Not a single project has gone through after the policy change. Tenants are in favour of the earlier rule. Giving MHADA two-third of the additional houses after rehabilitating existing tenants is not commercially viable for developers and hence,redevelopment is stuck,” said Desai.

He said nearly 30,000 families were living in transit accommodations for years after their buildings were demolished,but redevelopment was yet to start. About 1.1 lakh families originally stayed in the 56 layouts.

“The decision to increase FSI to 2.5 is welcome but it has been rendered useless after the policy change. We are demanding the government bring back the old scheme at least for a year,so that process can begin for buildings in urgent need of redevelopment,” said Sena MLC Anil Parab.

Ramesh Prabhu,chairman of Maharashtra Societies Welfare association,said no builder was interested in taking up redevelopment with the current set of incentives.

“If 30 extra flats are built,how will it be profitable for a builder to hand over 20 to MHADA,pay transit rent of original residents and sell 10 to recover building expenses?” said he.