Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation clears redevelopment of four housing societies

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has sanctioned the redevelopment of buildings in four housing societies in the city on Friday. 

The proposal for these buildings was stuck in alleged bureaucratic red tape and political interference for more than five years. The decision has now given hopes to more than four lakh other residents residing in 3,500 dangerous buildings across Navi Mumbai.

The approval for redevelopment was given to 31 buildings in four housing societies in Vashi and Nerul where 616 families reside. The buildings include Nivasti Tvisa Society in Sector 2, Little Flower Society in Sector 9, Utkarsh Society in Sector 9, and Panchsheel Apartment in Sector 1A in Nerul.

The redevelopment issue of Cidco buildings, which are more than 30 years old and declared as extremely dangerous (C1 category) was stuck for over five years. The state government has already sanctioned 2.5 FSI for redevelopment in the city and recently, the CM Uddhav Thackeray has given the green signal for granting 4 FSI, a proposal for which is being readied by Cidco.

NMMC has formed an identification committee for the purpose of scrutinising redevelopment proposals of dangerous and dilapidated buildings. The committee, headed by the municipal commissioner, includes Cidco chief planner, Cidco chief engineer, superintending engineer PWD, Thane, Joint director – town planning, Konkan Division, and NMMC chief engineer.

NMMC commissioner, Abhijit Bangar, said, “The residents of buildings declared in C1 category had constantly been following up on the redevelopment proposal submitted by them. The approval had been stuck lately due to the Covid pandemic. Now, we have taken up the issue on priority as the residents do not have a proper home of their own. The members of the identification committee personally inspected these buildings on December 15 and 17. They then submitted their report to me based on which the committee has approved the proposals for the redevelopment of the buildings in these four societies.”

Bangar added that the decision to approve redevelopment plans for the four societies will benefit a large number of residents residing in them and help them get quality houses of their own.

Welcoming the sanction by the civic body, BM Siraj (51), a resident of Nivasti Tvisa society, said, “We have long been suffering and waiting for the sanction for long. A lot of people in society have no other option but to risk their lives on a daily basis by residing here. We know there is still a long way to go before we get new houses as there are several other permissions to get as well. However, this is a very important hurdle that has been crossed and the redevelopment process can finally be set in motion.”

Vikas Sarote, 40, resident of Utkarsh Society, added, “This is a good crucial decision by NMMC and a major relief. Hopefully, residents of other dilapidated buildings too will get their sanction early and will not face the problems we faced.”

THE REDEVELOPMENT ISSUE

Cidco constructed around 44 per cent of the total houses in Navi Mumbai. The total housing stock created in Navi Mumbai is about 3,00,000 units, out of which 1,30,000 units are built by Cidco and around 1,70,000 tenements by the private sector.

There are around 55,000 people living in extremely dangerous buildings in Navi Mumbai. In all, there are around 3,500 dilapidated buildings in the city, in which around four lakh residents live.

Several buildings constructed by CIDCO in Vashi, Koparkhairane, Ghansoli, Airoli, Sanpada, and Nerul are in a pathetic state and have been declared dangerous by the NMMC. The residents of these buildings risk their lives daily. There have been several instances of slab, ceiling, and plaster falling, injuring the residents.

The state government had issued a GR on February 4, 2015 allowing 2.5 FSI for the redevelopment of dilapidated Cidco-constructed buildings. Despite almost six years having passed, the redevelopment process in the city has not really taken off yet.

THE BENEFICIARIES

Nivasti – 10 buildings – 160 families

Little Flower – 1 building – 16 families

Utkarsh – 3 buildings – 48 families

Panchsheel – 17 buildings – 392 families