Government approves five more slum rehab projects

The urban development department of the state government has approved five more proposals of slum rehabilitation in the city. Around 829 huts from five different slums are expected to be converted into new houses within a year and a half.

Under the Slum Rehabilitation Policy, the developer builds pukka houses for slum dwellers at the same place after getting consent of a minimum 75% of slum residents. After developing a slum area, the space left after constructing the houses for slum-dwellers, may be utilised by the builder for commercial or other purposes.

Also, the FSI would be raised for builders who develop slums under this policy. Realtors would also be able to use the higher FSI, in case it is not applicable to the slum project, for another project elsewhere in the city that they are developing on an area of the same size.

The civic body had received around a dozen proposals for rehabilitation from two leading developers of the city, of which proposals by Safal Constructions, known as B-Safal, for development of five slums - two in Khokhra and one each in Ambawadi, Sabarmati and Vasna - were cleared by the state.

"Once we get approval from the civic body, we will begin construction with an aim to complete the projects within two years," said Rajesh Brahmbhatt, managing director of Safal Constructions. There are 829 huts in the five slums located on an area of 42,136 square metres. Out of this, the company will develop around 32,000 square metres for the rehabilitation projects.