Maharashtra has approved key regulatory changes aimed at fast-tracking the redevelopment of old and unsafe residential buildings located on Mumbai’s former mill lands. The decision, announced by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the legislative assembly on Thursday, introduces incentive Floor Space Index (FSI) provisions that developers had long sought to make such projects financially viable.
Shinde, who also oversees the Urban Development Department, said the lack of additional FSI under the current framework had stalled many long-pending redevelopment proposals. “Many of the residential structures and chawls (tenements) on these lands are old and unsafe, and redevelopment is urgently needed. The government has decided to amend the rules to encourage redevelopment. A (proposed) amendment under section 37(1)(ka) of the MRTP Act (Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966) has been approved and a notification will be issued,” he said.
While the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034 already outline norms for redevelopment on mill lands, Shinde noted that developers remained hesitant due to the absence of incentive FSI. Regulation 35(7)(A) ensures that eligible residents receive rehabilitation tenements, yet it did not offer builders the additional development rights needed to absorb project costs.
By approving the amendment, the state aims to unlock redevelopment across several aging and dilapidated mill land pockets, many of which house thousands of residents in precarious structures. The move is expected to breathe new life into large tracts of centrally located land, revive stalled projects and improve living conditions for tenants waiting years for redevelopment.
Officials believe the revised rules will provide the necessary push to accelerate construction, modernise outdated housing clusters and improve safety across these historic urban precincts.
Source: ET Realty
