Govt raises mill FSI to 4 for development of mill lands

MUMBAI: The state government announced on Monday that it would raise the Floor Space Index (FSI) for development of mill lands in the city to 4 to create low-cost housing for mill workers. The project will be executed by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA).

The decision to increase FSI on mill lands by 200 per cent is expected to release nearly 40 acres of land into the housing market and benefit as many as 35,000 families.

“MHADA will get possession of 40 acres of mill land that is being released for commercial and housing development,” a deputy secretary in the housing department said.

“Of this, 50 per cent will be used for housing mill workers and the rest will be used for transit camps.” The additional FSI is applicable to both categories.

According to the government’s textile policy announced in 2001, the vacant space of 58 mills in the city is to be divided into three parts. One part goes to MHADA, one to the BMC, and one to the developer.

By reserving a portion of land to house mill workers, as many as 35,000 housing units could be built. This will benefit more than a third of the 1 lakh mill workers who need new housing, said Pravin Ghag, joint secretary of the Girni Kamgar Sangharsh Samiti.

Arvind Adarkar, an urban development expert, described the decision as a corrective to past policies. “In 2001, the government changed the wording of Development Control Rule 58,” he said, “and offered 200 acres of land to MHADA and displaced mill workers.” Now it is trying to find a solution to the problem.