Mhada plans rehab for slumdwellers on its land to create hsg

SUBJECT TO GOVT NOD

Mumbai: Aiming to tide over the shortage of land to build affordable houses, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has decided to undertake Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes on its own land instead of handing it over to developers as is the ongoing practice. 
    Mhada's decision comes at a time when the authority has only about five acres of land available in the city. The decision will see over 1,470 acres of land encroached upon by 65 slum societies becoming available for affordable housing. However, the decision is yet to be ratified by the sevenmember Mhada Authority headed by the chief minister. Notwithstanding the government nod, Mhada has proposed to redevelop slums spread over 20 acres in Bandra, Malad, Malwani, Kurla, Ghatkopar and Kandivli. 
    The FSI for slum scheme ranges between 2.5 and 4. A 2010 report by Anand Rathi Associates said the total land available for such slum projects in Mumbai is 8,600 acres, against 4,500 acres potential of Mhada colonies and 200 acres available under mill and factory lands. This explains why developers look at slums as potential goldmines. Said Satish Gavai, Mhada's vice-president, "This is the best option for Mhada to create housing stock in the city. We can't buy land as it is very expensive. We will appoint contractors to build 269 sq ft homes for the eligible slumdwellers. Since the government is directly involved, there is no question of 70% consent of slumdwellers or giving the free sale component post rehabilitation to anyone else.'' 
    However, some urban planners are skeptical of Mhada's move. They said Mhada had taken a similar policy decision (to redevelop slums on its land) in 2007, but the then CM Vilasrao Deshmukh shot down the proposal as Mhada Act allows only houses to be constructed on vacant land and further not undertake slum schemes as there is a separate Slum Rehabilitation Authority for the purpose. 
    "Mhada, which is redeveloping Sector 5 of Dharavi, is yet to appoint a 
project consultant or construct transit camps. It is yet to identify eligible slumdwellers. If this is the progress of the only slum scheme a year after it got exclusive mandate from the state government, how will Mhada manage other slum schemes?'' questioned a Congress legislator. 
    Niranjan K Sudhanshu, chief officer of Mhada's Mumbai board, said, "It would be wrong to compare slum schemes on Mhada land with Dharavi where over 5,000 slumdwellers have to be rehabilitated compared to 100-200 slumdwellers who have encroached upon Mhada land. Also, why shouldn't we use the incentive FSI to construct affordable housing than give it to builders? From the free sale, we can construct 2 lakh homes.''