State holds out redevpt hope for island city bldgs

Mumbai: With redevelopment plans of over 250 buildings in the island city being stuck for long, minister of state (housing) Sachin Ahir on Thursday offered tenants living in such structures a ray of hope. 

    Referring to projects that have been in limbo for over a decade, Ahir said 70% of the tenants of such buildings could come together and approach the state government for permission to appoint a new builder/developer/ or contractor for redevelopment. 
    During a calling attention motion in the assembly, the issue of tenants of such buildings being left in the lurch—after developers abandoned or lost interest in the projects—was raised. Members from both ruling and oppositionbenches expressed concern. 
    Ahir, meanwhile, introduced a rider that could have an impact on the redevelopment of other buildings as well. "Consent, once granted to a developer, will not be revocable in the immediate future," Ahir said, while referring to cases where members have withdrawn their consent to a developer within a year or two after giving the same. 
    After members complained of lack of tenant welfare, Ahir announced plans to draft a model agreement. This, he said, would be available online. A redress committee for projects involving Mhada's reconstruction and redevelopment board and other boards across the state was announced on the lines of slum schemes. 
    Raising a calling attention motion on various redevelopment issues, Nawab Malik (NCP) demanded that approvals for cluster redevelopment schemes be expedited. Amin Patel (Congress) raised issues related to changes in parking norms for rehabilitation buildings on cessed premises and in Mhada colonies. Patel also demanded a review of the nod granted to a cluster redevelopment scheme in Chira Bazar. 
CM's no to 4 FSI 
    An option to use a an FSI of 4 on a plot housing a number of dilapidated and illegal buildings in Thane was not acceptable, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Thursday. He also disclosed plans to fast-track the redevelopment of dilapidated buildings in the region.