Maharashtra govt mulls uniform DCR for municipal bodies in MMR

The Maharashtra government is considering formulating uniform development control rules (DCR) for all the eight municipal corporations falling under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), minister Ranjit Patil told the Legislative Council today.

"The proposal for uniform DCR is in its final stages of inviting claims and objections," the minister of state for urban development said.

Patil was replying to supplementary queries on a calling attention motion moved by Sanjay Dutt (Congress) and others.

Raising supplementary queries on his motion on the Rs 6,500 crore package for Kalyan-Dombivali, Dutt said the civic body governing the twin cities was incapable of giving its share of allocation.

The minister said under the Smart City project of the Centre, there is a convergence of many schemes.

"In order to ensure planned redevelopment of old buildings through cluster development, the government is considering bringing uniform DCR for all the eight municipal corporations in the MMR area," Patil said.

Dutt demanded that the government change the route of metro line proposed through congested areas of the Kalyan city.

He also demanded that the metro rail be extended to connect nearby cities of Ulhasnagar and Ambernath.

Patil said the Smart City project includes railways and roads development.

The MMR, spread over 4,355 sq km, consists of eight civic corporations - Greater Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizamapur, Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayandar.

At present, all these civic corporations have their own development control rules. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is responsible for the balanced development of the region.