Suburban realty may remain dear with Delay in hike of FSI
Floor Space Index (FSI) is the ratio of buildable area to the total area of the plot. In a bid to keep prices in check, the Mumbai state government to hike the base floor space index (FSI) in the suburbs. At present, an FSI of 1 is permitted on suburban plots. Besides this, developers are allowed to use transfer of development rights (TDR) equivalent to another 1 FSI, bringing the overall cap on permissible FSI to 2 (two times the plot area).
The state government’s move to hike FSI in the suburbs is likely to be delayed by six months. The government has plans to increase the base FSI from 1 to 1.33 while retaining the overall cap of 2 in order to reduce the dependence of construction activity on TDR. The urban development (UD) department’s move to amend Maharashtra Region Town Planning (MRTP) norms in favour of the move last October had raised hopes that it would be set in motion in the first half of 2011. Procedural formalities will, however, mean that the proposed move cannot be implemented until 2012, state officials now say.
The state government, which will have to modify certain provisions in the development control (DC) regulations to allow the change, has been advised to seek a fresh suggestions and objections from the citizens in this regard. State officials said the process of inviting suggestions and objections and studying these could take at least six months.
“There is a strong chance that the move will reflect in the election manifestos of various parties,” an official said. The move has already been riddled with delays.
It was initiated on April 10, 2008, when the UD department issued directives to the BMC for amendment in DC norms to permit the increase in basic FSI. The said notification was withdrawn following a ruling of the Bombay High Court in October 2008. The court set aside the notification citing technical grounds. While the notification said that premium would be charged for the grant of additional FSI, the court had ruled that “provisions in MRTP Act did not authorize such a levy”. The UD department, on October 21, 2010, issued an ordinance to amend the MRTP Act to authorize charging of premium for additional FSI granted. While it was being considered that the department would issue a fresh notification for amendment in DC rules immediately thereafter, the UD department advised the government against hiking the base FSI in January 2011.
In a report to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who also holds the UD portfolio, it suggested that “such a move would radically affect the development plan and burden infrastructure”. The BMC, however, countered the argument, and endorsed the grant of additional FSI. The difference of opinion was settled in the favour of the latter during a meeting convened by Chavan.
Source: Times of India
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