Mumbai: Centre, state still undecided on salt pan land; affordable housing, slum rehab plans in limbo

The state government has proposed to the Centre to evolve a mutual formula on land-sharing to end a 30-year-old dispute on 2,177 hectares of salt pan land in Mumbai and its extended suburbs.

A highly placed source in the ministry of urban development and revenue said, “The large tract of salt pan land which has been given on lease for producing salt ends in 2016.

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Therefore, either the government will have to reconsider the lease or begin the process of acquiring the same with mutual consent for its affordable housing projects.”

Acknowledging that the entire process of development of salt pan land is getting very cumbersome, a senior secretary said, “What makes the process a non-starter is failure of the Centre and the state to resolve the land-sharing formula.”

In its draft proposal, the state has urged the Centre to agree to a 50:50 land-sharing ratio as it believes reviving the entire process to ascertain the actual landholding would lead them nowhere and it will promote further encroachment.

The state government has also recommended setting aside the land tract which is already entangled in legal disputes and begin the process of development on the available land holding.

As per the government’s estimate of the total 2,177 hectares, only 360 hectares is available at the moment. Almost 460 hectares have been encroached and locked in various legal disputes. It believes 700 hectares of land would have to be dealt with differently as it comes under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). It would have to review the CRZ new guidelines and ascertain how to get it for development.

A source said, “The Centre-state believes the development model will have to be on no-loss, no profit basis and without the state and Centre having to make any investments. However, for ensuing its development, to relocate the slums-dwellers or project-affected persons, it will have to consider the additional Floor Space Index (FSI) incentive to any developing authorities whether it is Mhada or private players.”

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A senior official said, “In the 2006 Housing Policy, we had proposed 250 sqft houses for slums/PAP. It was felt in one hectare we would built 500 houses. However, since then there has been amendments and a decision to provide larger houses of at least 350 sqft to 450 sqft has been accepted by the government. Which means, we can still built more than one lakh houses. Albeit, with FSI not extending 4.”

Apart from the land-sharing on 50:50 ratio, the state government has suggested that it would use its share of salt pan land for relocating slums and PAP encroached on government land. Whereas, slums and PAP who have encroached on defence, railways or Bombay Port Trust land should be shifted on salt pan land under Centre’s share.

A senior secretary said, “Over the last two decades, we have been dealing with the same disputes and challenges when it comes to unlocking the salt pan land.”

Notwithstanding legal disputes which will be murky, if the Centre and the state government fail to take a decision, the government will have to explore other land parcels to meet its commitment on a slum-free Mumbai.