Activists, builders oppose SRA's proposed amendment in DCR

Housing rights activists today demanded from the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to scrap its proposed amendment in Development Control Rule (DCR) 33(14), terming it "perverse" to city's development.
SRA's proposed amendment in DCR 33(14) will allow builders to construct transit camps or rental accommodation in far away suburbs, in return, they would get high Floor Space Index (FSI) on their plots, which can be utilised at any other location (construction site), including prime locations.
A notification in this regard was issued by the SRA last month, which drew flak from various stakeholders, who strongly opposed it.
Activists also hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister and Chairman of SRA Devendra Fadnavis accusing him making only "shallow statements" and failing of doing "nothing concrete" to protect the rights of slum dwellers of the megapolis.

Housing rights activist Sunil Sharma said that if SRA does not scrap the proposed amendment immediately, activists will be forced to hold protests.
According to Sharma, the proposed amendment would allow builders to use the high FSI, obtained under the said DCR, in posh locality like Malabar Hills in South Mumbai and in return they would earn astronomical returns.

Shem, also a convenor of Forum For Slum Dwellers Welfare - a group of RTI activists, architects and advocates, has written a letter to CEO, SRA, cautioning that allowing utilisation of additional FSI, except public infrastructure, would be detrimental to the development of the city.

Housing expert and spokesperson of Builder Association of India (BAI) Dr Anand Gupta termed the proposed amendment as "foul play".
"This is a foul play of some influential builders' lobby in collusion with SRA authorities," he alleged.