SLUM REHABILITATION PROJECTS: A VIABLE OPTION

VIBHA SINGH explores why a slum redevelopment project can be an excellent option for buyers who have a lower budget

    Junaid Khan is really happy after buying a flat in a slum rehabilitation project in Kurla from a reputed builder. According to Khan, "It was after a long discussion with my family and friends, weighing the pros and cons that I decided to invest in the project. Many friends were of the opinion that the quality would differ as the project was being done on a budget. After a lot of research and many visits to the project site, I decided to buy a flat in the project." 
    According to the Slum Rehabilitation Development (SRD) scheme, a builder willing to undertake a project under this programme, provides free housing to the slum dwellers and uses the extra FSI to build and sell apartments in the open market. This extra FSI can either 
be in the form of a separate building in the complex or away from it. There may even be extra floors atop a building. This means that buyers opting for a slum redevelopment project may get slum dwellers as neighbours, either in the same building or in an adjoining one. 
    Many home buyers are hesitant to buy a flat in SRA projects as most of them think that slum dwellers are a nuisance, who dirty the surroundings and there are plenty of problems which people have to face due to them. According to architect Mukesh Mehta, "People from the middle-class or the upper middle-class strata who avail such housing, definitely do not like to stay in the same building as the slum dwellers. They expect accommodation away from them." 
    Former MHADA chief UPS Madan corroborates the same. "It's a fact that people who buy in the free sale component of SRA projects do not want slum dwellers residing too close to them. This is one of the reasons why the scheme did not take off well. However, many builders are trying to provide amenities at an affordable price; so hopefully, people will start appreciating these projects," adds Madan. 
    Given this response, developers have now begun to build a sort of partition between the slum rehab and free sale buildings. Take the case of Kalachowkie's Shraddha Society (rehab buildings) and Girnar Towers (free sale buildings). The developer has not only built an iron gate between the buildings but has also painted them differently. In addition, he has provided different amenities to residents of the free sale buildings. 
    Sarang Wadhwan, vicechairman and managing director, Housing Development & Infrastructure Ltd, opines that "There is a clear-cut demarcation in slum building regulations about the infrastructure and environment. Most of the buildings are given additional amenities and a bigger layout is created so that space is not choc-a-bloc in these setups. If you are considering such projects, you need to check out the layout and facilities. The buildings are usually well-spaced and residents have solar lighting for streetlights, rainwater 
harvesting and grey-water recycling." 
    At the end of the day, the rising cost of land and building materials drive people, especially those living on low incomes, to seek cheaper options. In Mumbai, in order to buy cheaper houses, many people have invariably suffered at the hands of fly-by-night developers with no reputation to protect. This is regrettable because many reputed developers too, have projects in various price bands. In other words, a lower price does not have to mean dangerously low construction quality. Kanti Lal, who bought a flat in Deonar, says, "When I bought this flat, I made sure that there was a gate between the two buildings. The problem is that most of us have experienced that there is some or the other nuisance created by slum dwellers." 
    For over a decade now, the SRA has been working to make this option work for people with low budgets. Ujwal Uke, CEO of SRA informs, "The plan for each development involves five stages and first requires 70 per cent approval from slum dwellers to relocate to modern buildings built in place of their current homes. In such cases, the builders construct buildings and allot one side to the slum dwellers and sell the other apartments to private buyers." 
    Kaushik More, director, Omkar Realtors & Developers Pvt Ltd, advises that "One should examine the track record of the builder. Also, check the construction quality and amenities being offered along with the current financial strength of the project." 
    Many reputed builders such as Unitech Limited, Lokhandwala Infrastructure, Hubtown Limited and HDIL, etc., have dived headfirst into the slum rehabilitation scheme bandwagon. As a result of this, industry experts expect quality layout and infrastructure, which would have a positive impact on the segment. 
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    A BUILDER WILLING TO UNDERTAKE A PROJECT UNDER THIS PROGRAMME PROVIDES FREE HOUSING TO THE SLUM DWELLERS AND USES THE EXTRA FSI TO BUILD AND SELL APARTMENTS IN THE OPEN MARKET. 
    DUE TO THE INVOLVEMENT OF MANY REPUTED BUILDERS, INDUSTRY EXPERTS EXPECT QUALITY LAYOUT AND INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE SEGMENT.