The Maharashtra government has initiated a comprehensive survey of residential encroachments on government land in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs and Pune that existed before January 1, 2011, as it explores extending its regularisation policy to these urban centres.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday directed the formation of a high-level committee to carry out the survey and submit its report within six months. The findings will help the government determine whether the regularisation policy, announced earlier this year, can be extended to the currently excluded areas.
The state had, in March, announced the regularisation of eligible residential encroachments on government land that existed on or before January 1, 2011, aiming to provide housing security to lakhs of low-income families. However, Mumbai city and Mumbai suburbs were excluded from the policy due to their complex urban and land ownership landscape.
Under the existing policy, residential encroachments measuring up to 500 sq ft are eligible for free regularisation, while occupants of larger structures are required to pay 10% of the prevailing market value as occupancy charges.
The newly constituted committee will assess the ground situation in the excluded regions, collect relevant data and recommend whether the policy can be implemented in Mumbai and Pune.
The committee will be chaired by Konkan Divisional Commissioner Rubal Agarwal and will include senior officials from the Mumbai city and suburban collectors’ offices, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the land records department and other government agencies.
Chairing the review meeting, Bawankule directed officials to begin the survey immediately, stating that the exercise would provide the data required for the government to take a final decision on extending the regularisation programme.
The minister said the government’s objective is to ensure that eligible encroachers receive legal recognition through a transparent and phased process while addressing unplanned urban encroachments in a systematic manner. He added that the initiative is intended to provide eligible residents with a legal pathway to secure their homes while supporting planned urban development.
Currently, in Mumbai, slums established before January 1, 2000, qualify for free rehabilitation housing. Slums built between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2011, are protected from eviction and are eligible for rehabilitation upon payment of construction costs. Encroachments that came up after the 2011 cut-off remain illegal and are liable for eviction.
Source: HIndustan Times
