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City shocker: BMC spots 615% rise in unauthorized constructions in 5 years
There's nothing remotely new about illegalities in buildings that dot the city's skyline. Recent BMC figures submitted in the Supreme Court, though, are deeply disturbing as these show a mind-numbing 615% increase in unauthorized buildings over the past five years.
In the affidavit, the BMC's encroachment removal department submitted a five-year list of all unauthorized buildings from 2008 to March 2013, and the BMC's planning and development department gave a list of illegalities in new constructions and redevelopment projects detected between 2012 and 2013.
In 2008, the BMC found 7,838 illegal buildings in all 24 administrative wards. Their numbers shot up to 48,194 between 2009 and 2013. Overall, the BMC detected more than 56,000 illegal buildings in the past five years.
The BMC report, though, is incomplete as there are no figures available for Goregaon (West) in the P (South) Ward between 2008 and 2009. Besides, the consolidated figure for Bandra in the notorious H (West) Ward shows a missing blank space in the affidavit, which was submitted to the SC on Friday.
There is also a mention of the number of demolitions undertaken and court cases pending in the past five years.
Experts and activists said that while illegal buildings do get demolished, relevant action is taken only when alert citizens bring violations to authorities' notice; they seldom act on their own.
"This is also due to the increasing power and dominance of irresponsible builders and developers. Their influence is growing and with it, the nexus at all levels, both political and official. Without collaborative effort, such illegalities cannot be sustained," said architect P K Das, a member of Save Open Spaces.
Das further said the number of illegal buildings is also rising due to the complete absence of physical planning for the city. "The anarchy in development provides the perfect ground for illegal endeavours. This is a very important fact about Mumbai. The government must seriously get back to the drawing boards to undertake the responsibility of physical planning."
Architect Aarvind Unni of NGO Yuva, who is involved in the revision of Development Plan 2014, said local corporations are incompetent to handle population growth and consequent needs such as affordable housing. "Since the state is unable to provide it, builders provide illegal settlements or buildings."
Another reason for growing floor space index (FSI
) violations is the restrictive FSI
regime, experts added. "The violations could be partly because of rising demand for floor space and a restrictive FSI regime. That's why builders try to steal FSI. But that's conjecture and not conclusion," said housing expert V K Phatak.
Last year, the BMC amended the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act to take tough action against illegal constructions. Amendment to its Section 515 (A) allows the civic body to demolish illegal structures without intervention by way of stay orders from the city civil court. This will be a major deterrent to illegal constructions.
The SC directed the BMC to file the affidavit on March 15 when it was hearing a petition filed by Maharashtra Hawkers' Union against the BMC's treatment of vendors in Andheri (West).
In the affidavit, the BMC's encroachment removal department submitted a five-year list of all unauthorized buildings from 2008 to March 2013, and the BMC's planning and development department gave a list of illegalities in new constructions and redevelopment projects detected between 2012 and 2013.
In 2008, the BMC found 7,838 illegal buildings in all 24 administrative wards. Their numbers shot up to 48,194 between 2009 and 2013. Overall, the BMC detected more than 56,000 illegal buildings in the past five years.
The BMC report, though, is incomplete as there are no figures available for Goregaon (West) in the P (South) Ward between 2008 and 2009. Besides, the consolidated figure for Bandra in the notorious H (West) Ward shows a missing blank space in the affidavit, which was submitted to the SC on Friday.
There is also a mention of the number of demolitions undertaken and court cases pending in the past five years.
Experts and activists said that while illegal buildings do get demolished, relevant action is taken only when alert citizens bring violations to authorities' notice; they seldom act on their own.
"This is also due to the increasing power and dominance of irresponsible builders and developers. Their influence is growing and with it, the nexus at all levels, both political and official. Without collaborative effort, such illegalities cannot be sustained," said architect P K Das, a member of Save Open Spaces.
Das further said the number of illegal buildings is also rising due to the complete absence of physical planning for the city. "The anarchy in development provides the perfect ground for illegal endeavours. This is a very important fact about Mumbai. The government must seriously get back to the drawing boards to undertake the responsibility of physical planning."
Architect Aarvind Unni of NGO Yuva, who is involved in the revision of Development Plan 2014, said local corporations are incompetent to handle population growth and consequent needs such as affordable housing. "Since the state is unable to provide it, builders provide illegal settlements or buildings."
Another reason for growing floor space index (FSI
) violations is the restrictive FSI regime, experts added. "The violations could be partly because of rising demand for floor space and a restrictive FSI regime. That's why builders try to steal FSI. But that's conjecture and not conclusion," said housing expert V K Phatak. Last year, the BMC amended the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act to take tough action against illegal constructions. Amendment to its Section 515 (A) allows the civic body to demolish illegal structures without intervention by way of stay orders from the city civil court. This will be a major deterrent to illegal constructions.
The SC directed the BMC to file the affidavit on March 15 when it was hearing a petition filed by Maharashtra Hawkers' Union against the BMC's treatment of vendors in Andheri (West).
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