The Maharashtra government is taking action to revive long-stalled slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai. Private developers' failures to provide promised housing have left these critical initiatives dormant for a decade or more. Collaborating with local self-government bodies and planning authorities, the government aims to complete ten identified projects to address the dire need for 1.1 million affordable homes in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. A newly formed committee led by the housing secretary will oversee the effort, with the financial burden falling on local authorities. The projects will encompass both rehabilitation and sales components, with revenue reinvested to support ongoing efforts, offering hope to Mumbai's slum residents.
The Maharashtra government is taking decisive action to address the longstanding issue of stalled slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai. The ten identified projects, which have been in limbo for 10 to 15 years, will now be resurrected and completed through a collaborative effort involving the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and various other special planning authorities.
The primary reason behind these projects' stagnation has been the failure of private developers to deliver on their promises of providing free housing to thousands of slum residents. In response, the government has decided to enlist the assistance of local self-government bodies to breathe new life into these critical initiatives.
The urgency of this endeavour is underscored by the substantial demand for affordable housing in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with an estimated need for 11 lakh (1.1 million) such homes. To streamline this initiative, an eight-member committee led by the housing secretary has been set up. This committee will evaluate and oversee the selected projects that will undergo redevelopment through this joint venture.
A pivotal development occurred when the state housing department issued a Government Resolution (GR) last week, paving the way for the resumption of slum rehabilitation projects that have been at a standstill in Mumbai, Thane, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. These projects will now be completed in collaboration with local self-government bodies and special planning authorities, including MHADA, MMRDA, CIDCO, and others.
Notably, the financial responsibility for the redevelopment of these stagnant slum rehabilitation projects will rest entirely on the shoulders of the local self-government body or the special planning authority. Neither the SRA nor the state government will be providing any financial assistance for these initiatives. A crucial step in this process involves the valuation of the existing construction, with the local authority being tasked with disbursing the corresponding amount to the original project builder who initiated the development.
Under this revitalized scheme, both the rehabilitation and sale components will be the responsibility of the local authority. Tenements under the sale component will eventually be made available in the open market, aligning with the government's "Housing for All" program. The revenue generated from the sale of these flats will then be reinvested to fund the ongoing rehabilitation project.
Most of the stalled projects earmarked for transfer to the local body are situated on land owned by the respective local authorities. However, before this handover takes place, a comprehensive assessment of the scheme's financial and technical feasibility will be conducted, as outlined in the GR.
In conclusion, the Maharashtra government's intervention to address the protracted delays in slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai and the surrounding areas signifies a crucial step toward providing much-needed affordable housing for residents. By partnering with local self-government bodies and special planning authorities, the government aims to revive and complete these essential initiatives, alleviating the housing crisis and improving living conditions for thousands of slum dwellers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
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