Rs 1000-cr bonanza for MMRDA in BKC

The authority has decided to increase the FSI here and also plans to sell extra built-up area

    Tall buildings will soon dot the Bandra-Kurla Complex skyline. Giving in to demands by private and government organisations, and financial concerns, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has now decided to increase the Floor-Space Index here from the current 1.5 to 3 for residential buildings and from 2.5 to 4 for commercial structures. 

    MMRDA also plans to sell extra built-up area. This means that builders who shell out the cash can build more floors on pre-existing structures. 
    MMRDA's Metropolitan Commissioner Rahul Asthana said the government body already 31 applicants lined up, requesting that they be allowed to build more floors on their existing plots. 
    Of these six have already paid the extra charge which has come up to Rs 
120 crore and another 18 have paid 20 per cent of the charge, amounting to Rs 397 crore. Asthana added that through the sale of extra built-up area, the agency will earn almost Rs 1,000 crores in four years. 
    Many developers wanted to purchase the extra built up on their existing plots but wanted more time from the body to book their pleas. Now that the executive committee has approved the proposal they have time till March 31, 2012. 
    According to ready reckoner rates, developers currently have to pay Rs 93,300 per square metre for extra built-up areas. Last year, this rate was Rs 71,800. 
    The increased FSI is applicable only for G Block which is the hub of activity in BKC with offices of major firms such as the Regional Passport Office, ING Vaisya Bank, the Income Tax Department, Oriental Bank of Commerce and State Bank of India. Many of these firms also have their own residential quarters here. 
    With an FSI of 4, MMRDA now has commercial space amounting to 19,10,950.40 square metres up for sale in BKC. The residential space, with an FSI of 3, comes up to 2,38,744.89 square metre. 
    At present, the residential and commercial rates at BKC stand at Rs 40,000 per square feet. Which means that a 1,000 square ft flat costs a minimum of Rs 4 crore. 
    The MMRDA move, to increase FSI, will only benefit developers. Home buyers will not, in any way, get relief from this. 
MMRDA GETS OUTSIDE HELP 
REALISING THAT IF it sells all the land it has in its kitty, its infrastructure projects will be affected, the MMRDA has hired a private firm for assistance. Asthana said, "We are planning to make the sale process systematic so that while we earn the maximum from our lands, we don't run out of plots." 
    To this end, MMRDA is also trying to build city-level Infrastructure so that rates at BKC increase, thus earning the agency more money from fewer sales.

The increased FSI is applicable only for G Block

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KALYAN-DOMBIVALI CIVIC BODY GRANTED FSI OF 2 BY MMRDA

MMRDA'S EXECUTIVE committee granted an FSI of 2 for the Kalyan and Dombivali Municipal Corporation to encourage development. With the increased FSI, the authority will collect revenue for its development projects for public in the Mumbai Metropolitan region. This decision follows the government body's increase FSI in other areas such as the BKC, to generate more money for its infrastructure projects such as the metro, mono rail and skywalks. 
    The decision was taken at a recent meeting presided over by the chief minister. Committee member Ashish Shelar objected to the FSI of 2, saying that it should be granted only in areas where roads are 25 metre wide or more.

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MMRDA extends new FSI scheme in Bandra-Kurla Complex

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has extended its new scheme for floor space index (FSI) 4 for commercial and FSI 3 for residential buildings for the Bandra-Kurla Complex, in a bid to raise more capital. Thirty-one organizations, including top corporate houses, central government institutions and private firms have applied for extra FSI under the scheme. Among the organizations are ING Vysa Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, IDBI, K Raheja Corporate Services as well as central government organizations like the income-tax department and the regional passport office. The schemewasinstitutedin 2008. TNN

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Nearly 1K cr for flyovers, wider roads

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will allot Rs 1,113 crore for road-widening and flyovers. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday, which also saw MMRDA formally approve implementation of the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Project (MTHL) on a public-private partnership basis.     Many projects discussed by the authority earlier were also approved. MMRDA commissioner Rahul Asthana said they had invited objections and suggestions for the development plan for 27 villages in Kalyan and Ambernath talukas and 60 villages in Bhiwandi taluka. They plan an FSI of two in the area for highways and FSI of one for villages. 
Asthana said there will be public consultations for the development of the Uttan-Gorai-Manori area as a tourist destination. An official statement quoted Chavan as stating that the participation of locals and their livelihood should be kept in mind before finalizing plans. 
    He said five flyovers would be constructed, including two in Kalyan at Rajoli junction and Mankoli junction; one in Bhiwandi at Vanjarpatti and two in Thane at Mumbra junction and Shil Phata. 
    MMRDA has also approved the installation of noise barriers on roads and flyovers that it has constructed in the region. 
    It follows the successful installation of barriers in the Bandra-Kurla Complex area recently, which has led to a reduction of noise pollution from 75 decibels to 60 decibels. 
Gorai park plans put on hold 
    MMRDA has put plans for a mangrove park in Gorai on the backburner. The park, of several hundred acres, at a cost of Rs 100 crore, was announced two years ago and was to be the first of its kind in the country. MMRDA officials had said it would have various species of mangroves and a special centre; it was also to have wooden pathways on stilts. MMRDA commissioner Rahul Asthana admitted there was local opposition to the project and said they would now concentrate on building infrastructure projects.

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HC to BMC: Scrutinize building plans at start

Court Hears Builder's Plea In Highrise Lily Ponds Case

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday observed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should take care while approving building plans right at the inception stage itself, and must send out a strong message to builders against violation of building laws. 

    A division bench of Justice P B Majmudar and Justice R M Savant was hearing a petition filed by Shravan Developers Pvt Ltd and developer Praful Satra, challenging municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar's July 30, 2011, order for demolition of lily ponds constructed on every floor of an 11-storey luxury tower at the Juhu Vile Parle Development (JVPD) Scheme. 
    Following the court's February 9, 2011, directive to examine alleged violations, Kumar filed a report on the issue. He directed that lily ponds be demolished or included by the developer in the FSI or if these are to be retained, then equivalent areas of upper floors should be demolished. The developer was given six weeks to exercise the option of working out the revised FSI. The court said the 11 floors can be regularized by charging a premium or penalty, or the same shall be demolished. 
    "Rules and regulations of 
the BMC are meant to be respected or else it will be a rule of the jungle, concrete jungle. Corporation officials willingly or unintentionally allow violations which is mockery of justice. A message should be sent to builders that there should be no violation of law," said Justice Majmudar and added the BMC should take care at the inception while approving plans. "There is no point taking action when equities are created. It is meaningless to issue stop work after 40-45 floors are constructed.'' 
    The developer's petition alleged that the BMC action was at the behest of the Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group, which moved court alleging gross violation. It also alleged that lily ponds are designed as swimming pools and permitted free of FSI. The developer's counsel, Pravin Samdani, argued that construction has been according to the sanctioned plans. "This NGO is holding us to ransom. These are luxurious flats costing crores of rupees and the plot itself was purchased for Rs 61 crore,'' said Samdani. Justice Majmudar riposted, "One who can spend more should be more cautious. In our view, there can be no distinction between hutment dwellers and highrises.'' Samdani said the pond area is three feet below the living room's floor level and there is a misconception that it is a pool. Justice Majmudar asked, "If flowers are removed, can someone take bath in this (pond)?" An intervention petition was moved on behalf of flat purchasers. The judges directed BMC lawyer to take "appropriate instructions by the next date of hearing". 
    "Verify if they are lily ponds or swimming pools," said Justice Majmudar. The matter is adjourned to September 29. Citizens' group takes architect to task Nauzer K Bharucha | TNN 
Mumbai: A month after the BMC ordered part-demolition of a luxury 11-storey residential tower in Juhu, the local Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group has filed a complaint against the building's architect to the Delhi-based Council of Architecture. The council is empowered by Parliament to take action against erring architects. 
    In 2009, the citizens' group filed a petition in the Bombay High Court against the builder, Praful 'Pappu' Satra, for building violations. Subsequently, civic chief Subodh Kumar directed Satra of Shravan Developers, to pay a hefty security deposit as a deterrent against possible misuse of certain portions of the building. 
    The commissioner ordered that no occupation permission or water connection be granted unless the deposit is paid to the corporation. Last week, the residents' group wrote to the council, seeking action against architect, M/s S P Associates, for "fraud, cheating, violation of development control rules, collusion and assistance and providing professional expertise to perpetrate illegality, violation of laws and facilitate illegal construction of a building". 
    Surendra Desai of S P Associates said his firm was appointed as the liasing architect for the project. A liasing architect is tasked with procuring permissions from the BMC's building proposal department. "The designing architect was different. We have nothing to do with the violation," he told TOI. Desai said he was 
in a bind despite warning the builder to stop "illegal work". 
    "Our firm subsequently backed out of the project and we complained to the BMC too. However, after the matter went to court, the BMC refused us permission to withdraw from the project," he said. "The work went beyond our control. Now we are caught," he added. 
    "Violations" include extension of toilets into duct area, building lily pond and adjacent decks on each floor adjoining the flat to extend the living area of each flat, misuse of parking and maneuvering space to extend the area on each floor and inclusion of flower bed space into the flats. Each apartment with a saleable area of 1,920 sq ft was sold as a 4,200 sq ft flat. 
    "Architectural plans, designs and maps were submitted by M/s S P Associates to the BMC. They were in disregard of the rules and regulations. The sanction of the proposal was also piloted through the architects and conclusively demonstrates their role in the proposal and the sanction," said the letter issued by group advocate Vibhav Krishna. 
    He added, "The order passed by municipal commissioner makes it obvious that there have been illegalities and irregularities in the construction of the building on the basis of plans submitted by architect M/s S P Associates. The architect firm were directly responsible for professional guidance on architectural aspects, design and FSI computation." The order stated that the 11th floor can be built within the permissible FSI and can be regularized by charging a premium. Else, it can be demolished.

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