Taking A Cue: 6 Reasons Why Redeveloping Buildings In Mumbai Is Important

The 16.5-acre Bhendi Bazaar is one of the most densely populated areas in Mumbai's island city. There are nearly 20,000 people in the area that has 3,200 households and 1,250 shops. Built by Britishers to provide rental units for migrant labourers, redevelopment of buildings at Behndi Bazaar has been frozen for long.

Now, along the lines of the state government's cluster development programme, the Dawoodi Bohra Community, a non-profit organisation, is undertaking a project named fee Burhani Upliftment to redevelop Bhendi Bazaar. This is, arguably, the largest redevelopment project in the world, done at the cost of Rs 4,000 crore. Under the project, 17 towers will be built. Of this, 13 towers will be used to rehabilitate people who live in Bhendi Bazaar; the remaining four towers will be sold in the market. development will ensure that even the smallest dwelling units in the area will have one bedroom and two bathrooms. This is a huge improvement over the current living standards of its inhabitants.

A look at why redeveloping buildings in Mumbai is important to transform the city:

• In , the nt Control Act was enforced in 1947. When a building is under rent control in a city, rental rates are much lower than the market rates. This is especially true, if a building has been under rent control for long. As buildings in Bhendi Bazaar have been under the ambit of rent control laws for 68 years, tenants pay as low as Rs 200 in a month even today. Under the Act, land lords are expected to compensate tenants while redeveloping buildings. This discourages residents from redeveloping dilapidated buildings.

• In 1964, floor space index (FSI) regulations were imposed in Mumbai, ranging from 1 to 4.5. An FSI is the ratio of floor area to the size of the plot. For instance, if FSI is 2, a 2,000 sq ft building can be erected on a 1,000 sq ft plot. It was lowered to 1.33 in much of the city in 1991. Now, if the regulated FSI is lower, buildings will lose space when redeveloped. This discourages people to redevelop their homes. According to Maharashtra's cluster redevelopment plan, buildings that are redeveloped will receive an FSI of 4. This will provide enough incentives for redevelopment.

• When the Building pairs and construction Board redevelops buildings, they allow an FSI of 3.2 instead of 1.33. This is because even the government and local authorities acknowledge that it is impossible to rehabilitate tenants after redevelopment without raising the FSI. However, the body redevelops a building only when officials certify that a building is on the verge of collapse. This leads to unnecessary damages of lives and material.

• While redeveloping buildings, authorities allow real estate developers to buy a higher FSI after paying a premium. This is done to fund infrastructure projects in Mumbai. As a result, higher FSI is allowed in areas, where infrastructure development is poor. By allowing a higher FSI in areas where infrastructure is already in good shape and demand is high, the state can ensure the supply is in sync.

• Allowing a higher FSI will lead to greater open spaces and realignment of roads in Mumbai. This is important in a city, where streets are congested and open space is scarce. Commuting can be made easier in the Island City only through realignment and widening of roads.

• If a higher FSI is not allowed while redeveloping buildings in the Island City, the only way to provide homes for migrants is by dividing existing dwelling units into many. This will further congest living spaces.