Mumbai Gaothan residents have complained to the Maharashtra Chief Minister about the discrimination the ‘sons of the soil’ in Gaothan localities endure as a result of the 2024 housing strategy.
The Watchdog Foundation, a citizens’ organisation, said that the policy changes have led to an unfair difference in the rights of Gaothan inhabitants and those who are occupying slum lands on government, collector, or municipal assets. According to the Watchdog Foundation, the 2007 housing policy permitted reconstruction or redevelopment in Gaothan areas with the following Floor Space Index (FSI) provisions: 100% of the consumed FSI of the existing building plus the normal, zone-permissible FSI or the consumed FSI of the existing building that was used without authorisation.
However, the letter stated that the majority of Gaothan areas lack nine-meter roads and that the FSI allocation for Gaothan areas has been substantially cut under the Housing Policy of 2024 to 1.5 if the road width is less than 6 meters and limited to 2 if the road width is 9 meters or higher. This significantly limits the redevelopment prospects for the citizens of these locations because they are unable to take advantage of the higher FSI of 2.
Occupants of slum lands on municipal, collector, or government estates are receiving an FSI of four or more for redevelopment, but the original Gaothan dwellers are denied a sufficient FSI. According to the representative, the ‘Gaothan Extension Policy’, which was intended to help the original people of Gaothan areas, has not been successfully implemented in Mumbai, which has made their problems much worse.
The group’s demands include amending the 2024 housing policy to guarantee that original residents receive at least the same redevelopment benefits as slum dwellers, allowing an FSI of 4 for Gaothan areas regardless of road width, and ensuring that Mumbai’s “Gaothan Extension Policy” is implemented effectively to give the original residents the benefits they are entitled to.
Source: The Free Press Journal
