Construction norms for industrial units to be relaxed soon

Barring a 6-metre stretch for access to fire engines, no other restrictions on ground coverage would be applicable to the units.

Open space norms for industries in Maharashtra are all set to be relaxed. As part of its efforts to improve the business climate in the state, the Devendra Fadnavis government is pushing to lift curbs on the extent of a plot on which construction can be undertaken in industrial belts. Current rules allow industries in MIDC areas to cover 50 per cent of the ground (plot) area for construction. But now the government has proposed to allowed construction to be undertaken on almost the whole plot area.

According to a proposal, which has now been placed before Fadnavis for approval, an industrial unit would soon need to set aside just 6-metre space on one side of the plot open to sky to allow access to fire engines. No other restrictions on ground (plot) coverage will be applicable. The government won’t insist on amenity and recreation spaces even for bigger industrial plots in MIDC areas.

Sources said that the proposal, which has been formulated by the industries department, has already received a green signal from the urban development department, which Fadnavis heads.

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The Chief Minister’s Office, too, is expected to sanction the relaxation, sources said.

The industries department has argued that relaxation in open space norms was necessary to “stimulate industrial growth” in MIDC areas.

The MIDC, meanwhile, has claimed that the engineering industry, in particular, had pushed for the relaxation, after the government raised the floor space index for industries in MIDC area to 1 earlier this year.

FSI is a ratio of the built-up area to the total plot area, which defines the extent of construction permissible on a plot. The urban development department agreed to lift curbs, after insisting that the 6-m space on one side be compulsorily left open for access for fire engines.

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Another proposal to permit industries to set up security cabins and effluent treatment plants in these marginal open spaces is also likely to be cleared.

Incidentally, Fadnavis has already cleared a proposal allowing MIDC to determine a premium for development and redevelopment of residential plots in MIDC areas. The government will get 25 per cent of the amount so collected as premium.

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