Maha govt makes changes rules for Dharavi re-development

Ahead of the Mumbai civic polls, Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced changes in the Development Control Rules (DCR) for the re-development of Dharavi slum, situated in central Mumbai. Addressing a press conference here, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said that the process of re-development of sector 5 in Dharavi, would get a boost, following the changes in the DCR.

The Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA) or any other public sector undertaking will act as a nodal agency for the Dharavi re-development project. Under this project, infrastructure facilities like roads, toilets, gardens would be developed to improve people's standard of living, Chavan said.

The re-development of Dharavi was first approved in 2004. It is aimed at benefitting 60,000 families.

As per the new DC rules, 4 FSI will provided for the re-development. Competitive bids will be invited for re-development on government and semi-government land. Slums and chawls will be re-developed on the lines of cluster development.

Each resident will get a carpet area of 300 sq ft tenement in the name of husband and wife. Small businesses in Dharavi would be protected under the scheme.

A ten-year corpus fund will be set up for the maintenance of re-developed buildings. More than one fifth of land in Dharavi is privately owned.

Some experts and NGOs have suggested an option of self-development, involving land owners and residents and the proposal is under consideration, chief minister, Chavan said.