Court admits PIL on cluster redevelopment

Mumbai: A Thane resident has moved the Bombay high court alleging that two civic bodies had allowed cluster redevelopment in their areas without doing an impact assessment study of the scheme. The PIL filed by Dattatray Daund will come up for hearing on March 19. 

    “My submission is that local civic bodies (BMC and TMC) should have done the impact assessment study before giving its consent to the cluster development policy,” Daund said. In February, CM Prithviraj Chavan had made an announcement in the state assembly about the government giving its consent for the cluster development. According to the urban development department, cluster redevelopment will require a minimum area of one hectare currently occupied by legal or illegal constructions. The developer will be entitled to an FSI of 4. The petitioner said he was not against cluster redevelopment. “But I want to know whether municipal corporations have taken into consideration the effect the policy would have on existing infrastructure of these cities,” Daund added.