MoS, Housing, Waikar proposes bigger homes in SRA projects

Maharashtra’s junior Housing Minister Ravindra Waikar has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking to hike the size of the apartments given to beneficiaries in the city under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme. Waikar’s proposal seeks to make the minimum area of flats constructed by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority as 30 square metres (352 square feet) as against the current carpet area of 25 square metres (269 square feet).

Citing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) under which the minimum area of the flats are 30 square metres, Waikar has said that Mumbai’s SRA beneficiaries should also be entitled to the same.

Currently, the developer constructs houses with a minimum carpet area of 25 square metres in the rehab component, whereas, in the sale component, he constructs them with a minimum area of 1000 square feet.

Responding to Waikar’s proposal, a senior SRA official said, “Several slum dwellers have approached us complaining about the minimum area they get in the rehab component. It is very often that they have a larger area in the slum houses but end up getting a 269-sq ft flat.”

Some of the slum associations had earlier demanded a minimum area of more than 25 sq mtrs but there have been no changes in the provision yet. They had pointed out that most of the families have more than five members and had had enough space in the slums, however, an area of 269 sq-ft in the rehab component was not adequate for them.

Waikar will table his proposal in the assembly soon. The proposal, once sanctioned, will benefit all the eligible beneficiaries of all new SRA projects.