‘41% houses unplanned’

While 31 per cent houses have an area ranging between 250 and 500 square feet,30 per cent have less than 250 square feet,26 per cent are between 500 and 1,000 square feet while 12 per cent are larger than 1,000 square feet.

City Engineer Prashant Waghmare admitted that the socio-economic survey has raised concerns over housing conditions. “Housing is very costly in the city and it is necessary to ensure urban poor afford their own houses. The main focus will be on housing sector in the new development plan,” he added.

Former town planner Ramchandra Gohad said that the PMC should have more affordable housing initiatives in the new DP and ensure there no slum recurrence. Small,cheap housing should be available across the city and be developed by the state-run MHADA on reserved plots,he said adding the civic slum rehabilitation scheme has not been very successful. The study urges the PMC to encourage the builder community to undertake,on a large scale,development of low-cost housing complexes and townships of medium-sized apartments. It also suggests that instead of developing highrises near hill slopes,they should be allowed in downtown areas as highrises near slopes will cut off the surroundings from natural flow of light and ventilation.