Mumbai MLA and Maharashtra Housing Self/Group Redevelopment Authority Chairman Pravin Darekar has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make the Authority a key partner in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) proposed AI- and GIS-based redevelopment portal.
The proposed ‘Mumbai Redevelopment Facility Portal’ is being developed by the civic body to simplify redevelopment processes and improve transparency through a digital platform. In a letter to Fadnavis, Darekar sought the designation of the Self/Group Redevelopment Authority as the state-level coordinating agency and principal partner for the initiative.
Darekar highlighted that self and group redevelopment involves several aspects beyond construction approvals, including financial planning, legal requirements, technical feasibility and project management. He said the Authority could assist housing societies through various stages of redevelopment, including identifying viable financing avenues, understanding procedures and accessing applicable government concessions.
He also stressed the need for stronger coordination between agencies involved in Mumbai’s housing sector, including the BMC, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
According to Darekar, bringing the Self/Group Redevelopment Authority into the portal’s framework from the beginning would help establish a coordinated system for approval tracking, information sharing and eventually extending the model to other urban centres across Maharashtra.
Darekar has also proposed setting up a joint committee involving the Housing Department, BMC, MHADA, SRA, MMRDA, the Self/Group Redevelopment Authority and relevant experts. The committee would work on finalising the structure and functioning of the proposed portal.
Another key recommendation is a dedicated self-redevelopment module within the platform. The section could offer housing societies tools to assess project feasibility, explore funding alternatives and monitor approvals in real time.
Before launching a pilot version, Darekar has recommended consultations with architects, lawyers, financial institutions, project consultants and other stakeholders. Such inputs, he said, could help ensure that the portal addresses the practical challenges faced by societies undertaking self-redevelopment.
The proposed digital system is aimed at making Mumbai’s redevelopment process more accessible, coordinated and transparent while supporting societies navigating increasingly complex redevelopment procedures.
Source: The Free Press Journal
