AFFORDABLE HOMES: MHADA STRUGGLES TO FIND LAND

MUMBAI: While CM Prithviraj Chavan, in his Independence Day speech, stressed on providing people with affordable houses, the ground reality is different.

Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada), the state’s housing regulator, is struggling to buy land from private landlords. Faced with little land for development, and a huge demand from buyers, Mhada is forced to buy land from private landlords. However, this is not leading to much success.

According to Bhuasaheb Dangade, chief officer, Mhada (Konkan Board), landlords are reluctant to sell us land. “Many landlords prefer private buyers as they offer cash. Mhada is a government body and we do not indulge in such things and make cheque payments,” said Dangade.

Recently, seven landlords submitted proposals for land in areas such as Panvel, Palghar, Badlapur, Boisar and Kolshet, but Mhada officials doubt the feasibility of the projects. The regulator’s past experience has shown that most of these plots are in the non-developmental zones, which have floor space index (FSI) restrictions.

In 2012, Mhada had received 15 similar proposals, but they were all located in the non-developmental zone, leading to rejection. Another problem faced by Mhada is that its projects need a minimum area of 10 acres. The size of the land usually needs the consent of more than one landlord.

“For years, Mhada doled out its precious land to politicians, bureaucrats, builders. Today, it hardly has any land left,” said Ashraf Khan, president, NGO