Rs2,000 crore clutter-free gift to Bhendi Bazaar

South Mumbai’s skyline is set to change. The state government on Friday cleared the decks for the Rs2,000-crore Bhendi Bazaar cluster redevelopment project — the fourth such plan cleared so far in the island city under 33(9) of the Development Control Rule.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Friday signed the file for the Bhendi Bazaar project to be constructed on 18 acres of land. The area has 250 buildings and houses 4,237 tenants. The project was proposed by the Saifee Burhani Trust headed by spiritual leader Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. People living in 200 sq ft homes will get houses with minimum 300 sq ft of the carpet area.

Commercial tenants will get galas of the area they have at present.

The government has decided to levy development charge of Rs5,000 per sq mt on the additional FSI allotted. “Development charges are levied to ensure the betterment of the infrastructure facilities related to roads, sewerage and water pipelines by the planning authorities,” said TC Benjamin, principal secretary, urban development department.

An officer said dilapidated buildings prior to 1959 in the proposed project are considered as eligible buildings for FSI 4.