Higher floor space index bonanza for developers
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday unveiled a new development plan (DP) for Mumbai, offering a higher floor space index (FSI) with the aim of creating 8 million jobs and 5 lakh homes but sparked fears of more congestion in the metropolis.
The new DP -- effective till 2034 -- will also open up nearly 2,230 hectares of no-development zone (NDZ) land in the city for residential housing focused on the affordable segment. This includes 130 hectares of salt pan lands.
A majority of the earlier designated NDZ and now redesignated special development zone lands are spread across western suburbs of Malad, Dindoshi, Charkop, Malvani besides Nahur, Vikroli, Bhandup in the eastern suburbs.
This is the largest chunk of land that is being opened up for development after redevelopment of 600 acres of mill lands in Central Mumbai 15 years ago.
In a turnaround from the accepted urban planning tenet to decongest city and use FSI as a planning tool linked to an area’s civic infrastructure, the plan granted an FSI of 5 for commercial buildings across the city. It also increased the overall FSI in the island city to 3 by allowing additional buildable rights to be purchased against a premium. For the first time, the FSI in the island city will be higher than in the suburbs (2.5).
FSI refers to the ratio of the total buildable area on a plot to the size of the plot. In land starved Mumbai, it typically indicates how high a building can be constructed.
The plan has also given an in principal approval for transitoriented development that will lead to higher FSI of up to 5 for intersections of metro corridors and other mega transit projects, said a senior official, who did not want to be named.
The DP was made public on Wednesday after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis cleared the long pending plan Tuesday.
The DP and new Development Control Regulations (DCR) lifted the spirits of the city’s realty sector that has been facing a slump. But no separate infrastructure plan to meet the requirements of this proposed construction boom has been drafted by the state.
While developers welcomed the DP, urban planning experts panned it as disastrous for the city already crumbling due to infrastructure deficit.
“The DP has given a big impetus to open up lands for development as much as is possible within the city’s infrastructure capacity. We hope there will be market correction in the realty market, making houses more affordable,” said urban development secretary Nitin Kareer.
“For years we have thought that commercial spaces should not be opened up but in a bid to boost employment we have incentivised this development,” Kareer added.
Civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta that the plan envisaged job requirement of 8 million for Mumbai up to 2034. “If there are no jobs then the city will be dead,” Mehta said.
Officials said the incentive FSI was in sync with the adjoining road width -- more than nine meters -- to avoid over congestion but there are no other safeguards embedded in the DP.
“The trunk infrastructure in NDZ land will be provided by the BMC while developers will be responsible for providing internal amenities. The FSI has been increased for the island city because it has better infrastructure. There is no problem in creating high density areas as long as adequate infrastructure is provided,” said Kareer.
Pankaj Joshi, urban planner and director of the Urban Design Research Institute, was critical. “On the face of it, this seems to be an FSI bonanza for builders. But, FSI is a planning tool, it cannot be used as a currency to generate revenue,” he said.