Higher FSI set to open doors for cessed redevpt

Mumbai: With a few days left before the monsoon arrives, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday finally gave impetus to two major redevelopment projects that promise to significantly alter the face of the island city. 

    One is the redevelopment of old and dilapidated cessed buildings and the other is the Dharavi revamp, a project that has been stuck for long. 
    Old and dilapidated cessed buildings can now be redeveloped with a floor space index (FSI) of 3 and not just 2.5. The 3 FSI is for all new projects and can also be availed of in around 400 existing projects where work has not gone beyond the plinth level. 
    The hike was first proposed in September 2009 following the state government's decision to increase the minimum tenement size from 225 sq ft to 300 sq ft. There are 14,995 cessed buildings from 
Colaba to Mahim, with many in a dilapidated state. Sachin Ahir, minister of state for housing, told TOI, "The decision is expected to benefit 5 lakh families." Chavan had earlier expressed concern about the mushrooming of pencil-thin structures on narrow, cessed plots because of the usage of higher FSI. However, as reported by TOI last month, the state has decided to introduce new norms for redevelopment to control heights. 
Dharavi revamp back on track 
    The stalled, multi-crore Dharavi makeover was put back on track on Saturday with the CM allowing Mhada to redevelop one of the five sectors in the 212-hectare slum area. Mhada will develop Sector 5, which has 23 hectares and involves rehabilitating 9,387 families. P 5 
CONCRETE PLANS 
t 14,995 cessed buildings in island city t Redevelopment projects will get 3 FSI t If height surpasses slenderness ratio, high-rise panel's nod must t Slenderness ratio means height must be not more than nine times the smaller side (width) of the plot t Developer must give corpus for maintenance for 10 years t 5 lakh families to benefit, says MoS Sachin Ahir t Around 400 ongoing projects where work hasn't gone beyond plinth level can also get 3 FSI