Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The controversial and much opposed Crawford Market redevelopment project,approved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in 2007,was scrapped by the civic body last week. The BMC has now decided to execute the project on its own. The restoration of the front heritage building and the redevelopment of surrounding structures will be carried out by the BMC without involving any developer.
As per the current proposed plan,the civic body will gain 90,000 square feet of built-up area at the prime location after redevelopment and rehabilitating shop owners. The six-year-old plan,which would have given away these huge profits to the East and West Group of RNA Builders,has been fiercely opposed by citizens,conservationists and activists since it was proposed.
The decision was taken by Municipal Commissioner Subodh Kumar at a multi-departmental meeting last week. Additional Municipal Commissioner (markets) Manisha Mhaiskar confirmed that such a decision has been made. The BMC can carry out the redevelopment on its own. A decision to this effect has been taken, she said.
The move is likely to bring cheer to conservationists and activists who were outraged by the plan that gave RNA Builders the right to consume an FSI of up to four for non-heritage structures. The BMC was accused of gifting away the prime plot and profits worth over Rs 500 crore to the private developer.
Conservationist architect Abha Lambah,who has drawn up the plan on how to restore the front heritage portion,has also prepared and submitted a proposal on how to carry out the redevelopment of other structures most of which were built as early as 1940s. Instead of dividing the plan into two,it will now be looked at holistically.
As per the new plan,a normal permissible FSI of only 1.33 will be allowed to facilitate sustainable redevelopment of the grade one heritage precinct and not let tall towers dwarf the actual market. An official from the BMCs development plan department said in an exceptional scenario,the FSI may be increased up to 2.66 but not beyond that. Tenders for the restoration of the front structure have been finalised and will be floated soon. Tenders for the remaining structures are in the process of being drawn up. We are currently studying the FSI component of the newly proposed plan, said the official.
The old plan,okayed by BMCs improvements committee and later by its general body of corporators in September 2007 was vehemently opposed by the then RTI activist and now Chief Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi. As per his calculations,the BMC was to get 26,494.93 sq metres of built-up space,while the developer would have got to sell as much as 39,194 sq metres of prime property,translating into huge profits for the builder.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
