For affordable housing, BMC plans to unlock 5,831 acres of NDZ and salt pan lands.

In an ambitious plan, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to unlock 5,189 acres of no-development zone (NDZ) land and 642 acres of salt pan land to develop about one million affordable houses and civic infrastructure.

As part of the new development plan, which would be submitted to BMC’s general body before May 31, the NDZs have been divided into three parts — 33 per cent for open spaces, 33 per cent for affordable housing, and the remaining for commercial and housing development. According to the proposal, an owner would get 50 per cent of floor space index (FSI) for total area, while the rest will go to BMC for public amenities. So far, the FSI on NDZ land was 0.20 to 0.40. However, environmentalists, policymakers and builders are of the view that such a plan should be implemented with a lot caution.

“From environment perspective, salt pans play an important role. However, a landlocked city like Mumbai has to look at such suggestions, provided checks and balances are in place. We can always look up to Singapore and other countries where a lot of such decisions were taken and development was done cautiously. India can learn from such environment-conscious countries and make use of available resources,” said Gulam Zia, executive director, Knight Frank India. “It is easier to take care of NDZ land under the state government’s jurisdiction compared with Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), which is most stringent.”

He suggested that such land can be given for development on long lease. Zia said state-run Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority is capable of constructing affordable houses instead of giving it to private developers.

Some builders believe that unless land stock is released as property where development can take place, land prices won’t come down. Lalit Kumar Jain, chairman, Kumar Urban Development said, “Increase in FSI is utmost necessary if affordability is the aim. BMC has proposed 4 FSI but what is the definition of affordable housing? If it is 30 sq mt carpet area, as per Income Tax guidelines, then the question remains whether these tenements will still be affordable within town. It should be at least 60 sq mt carpet with 8 FSI. This is necessary as strengthening the physical infrastructure is one-third the cost against the cost of new infrastructure. Also, mass transit system becomes affordable with high density development,” he said.

BS