The Maharashtra government has decided to set up a core committee to find out why there has been a tepid response to its cluster re-development scheme.
The Maharashtra government has decided to set up a core committee to find out why there has been a tepid response to its cluster re-development scheme. Only two of 48 proposals have been approved since the scheme was formulated two years ago.
Chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad recently convened a meeting to review the response to the policy. “We will examine it to assess the need for changes,” he said.
A senior Mantralaya official said: “The chief minister has great expectations from this scheme. We need to find out why it failed to attract developers. The government wants developers to take up only cluster re-development and not individual projects.”
Other Mantralaya officials said that the lukewarm response could be because of the mammoth size of projects, unreasonable demands of tenants and owners, and low profit margins. “As a result, many developers submit proposals enthusiastically but do not pursue the matter,” said an official.
However, the core committee headed by the urban development department will examine the current policy and the lacunae in it.
“The authority concerned will help identify project areas and sort out legal and civic issues. People will have more faith in these projects if the government participates. Now, it is difficult to bring all tenants and owners under one umbrella,” he added.
Sunil Mantri, former president of the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI) and chairman of the Mantri Group, said that developers undertaking a project under the scheme have to deal with the high-power committee, the environment and fire departments, and the state government. “The developer has to share whatever extra FSI he gets with the MHADA. This reduces his profit margin,” he said.
He added that it is difficult to get the mandatory consent of 70% tenants. “The government should take the initiative to get the consent of all owners and tenants. It should even put a time frame on the projects,” he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}