MUMBAI: As the assembly election approaches, the state govt has begun showering largesse on the people. In the city, one of the largest cluster of old and dilapidated buildings, the city’s erstwhile red light area of Kamathipura, has got a major push for cluster redevelopment. On Tuesday, the state housing department issued a government resolution (GR) announcing a 500-square-foot carpet area apartment free of cost to landowners in the area.
Under Regulation 33(9) (cluster redevelopment) of Development Control Promotion and Regulations (DCPR)-2034, tenants are entitled to free housing and in this case too they will get a minimum of 500-sq-ft flat.
For every plot of up to 50 sq m, the landlord will get a flat free. The GR states that from 51 sq m to 100 sq m, the landlord will get two flats free. From 101 sq metres to 150 sq m three flats free; from 151 sq m to 200 sq m four flats free; and above 200 sq m, one additional flat.
The decision on compensation for land owners was crucial as otherwise the cluster redevelopment would be unable to take off.
The Kamathipura Punarvikas Samiti, which comprises landlords and tenants, had been following up on the issue with the govt for several years. The landlords said they were too poor to redevelop their plots.
In Jan last year, the govt issued a GR appointing Mhada as a nodal agency and approving the redevelopment under Regulation 33(9) (cluster redevelopment) of Development Control Promotion and Regulations (DCPR)-2034. Subsequently, a survey was carried out by Mhada and a project management consultant was appointed.
A high-powered committee headed by the additional chief secretary (housing) was also appointed to decide on the compensation and the redevelopment.
“The landlords live in Kamathipura. So for the tenement they occupy they get one apartment free as a tenant and the others depending on the plot size as compensation for the land,” an official said.
Amin Patel, the local MLA and who has been pushing for the redevelopment for 14 years, said it was a dream come true. “People have been living in tiny homes for a very long time and I have been striving to get the redevelopment off the ground so that the residents finally get a decent home in a planned township,” he said.
