The last time the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) came out with its draft development plan for Mumbai city, it raised quite a stink. Experts and urban planners pointed out several flaws and errors in the plan, causing it to be withdrawn. Now, the BMC has come out with its revised draft Development Plan – 2034 (RDDP 2034) for Mumbai city, which promises to address all these concerns while proposing a slew of new measures to boost development in the city. We bring you the highlights.

1. The BMC has scrapped the concept of area-based, floor-space-index (FSI). Instead, it has proposed a uniform FSI of 2 for the city. A higher FSI of 5 has been proposed for commercial development across the city.

2. Affordable housing is a major theme with the BMC proposing to build 1 million affordable homes. No-Development Zones (NDZs), Salt-pan lands, TDA lands, Mumbai Port Trust lands and Mhada lands will be used for this purpose.

3. All reservations on NDZ land have been deleted and the land will be used for the affordable housing and amenity policy. Nearly 3,000 hectares of land including saltpan land will be opened up as a result of this.

4. The revised DP has proposed that 33% of the NDZ land be used for affordable housing, another 33% for open spaces and the remaining portion may be developed by the owner. The 33% allotted for affordable housing will also include the 8% reserved for public and social amenities.

5. A network of roads in saltpan lands and NDZ lands will be allowed to boost integrated development and ease pressure on infrastructure within the city.

6. Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) can now be used anywhere in the city, unlike earlier where it could only be used to the north of a plot. This could see more vertical development come in up within the island city as well and not just in the suburbs.

7. High-rises in the city can now go taller with the BMC proposing that high-rise buildings can begin beyond 32 meters from the earlier 24 meters. The BMC credits this to the city having upgraded its fire-fighting mechanisms, making fighting fires on tall buildings easier.

8. Reservations on land belonging to cessed buildings have been scrapped. This will make the redevelopment of several thousand dilapidated buildings in the island city much easier.

9. The BMC has proposed to reclaim 300 acres of the bay area at Cuffe Parade and convert it into a ‘Central Park’ or green lung to serve as a recreational space for people.

10. While the NDZ tag will continue to apply to Aarey Milk Colony, the controversial metro car shed and zoo will be allowed to be developed. The BMC has stated that the MMRDA will have final call on whether to actually implement this provision.

11. The revised DP also proposes the creation of parking authority at the municipal level with the approval of Government of Maharashtra (GOM). It also proposes geographic-information system (GIS) mapping of the available parking areas in the city in order to develop a better parking-management system

12. The earlier DP was criticized for being gender insensitive and in reaction to that, the revised plan has provisions for building one 1,000 sq. meter old-age home and one multi-purpose home for women in every ward.

Reporter : Ashwini Priolker, NDTV
Web Editor : Nikhil Narayan Sivadas, NDTV