BMC’s FSI hike seen hitting infrastructure, basic amenities in Mumbai

Mumbai Municipal Corporation's decision to allow further vertical development in the city would mean problems in infrastructure and basic amenities, reports quoting experts said today.

The draft development plan, proposed higher floor space index (FSI) in a few areas and incentives to slum rehabilitation scheme as also redevelopment of cess buildings in South Mumbai.

Under the plan, the highest FSI of 8 was proposed in Dadar and Andheri near railway stations, the areas which are already congested, while other areas like Kurla, Parel, DN Nagar would be eligible for 6.5 FSI.

Also under the DP incentive, FSI had been proposed for old buildings and SRA schemes in the low priced area like Malvani in Malad or Govandi. Prime areas like Bandra or south Mumbai would have less incentive. The incentive FSI would be applicable for cessed buildings which fall under MHADA most of which are under dilapidated condition South Mumbai building clusters, MHADA colonies, slums and cotton textile mills.

According the planner, there would be no adverse effect due to the increased FSI as population would not increase. According to VK Pathak, an advisor for the BMCs' draft Development Plan, if the population did not increase there would not be pressure on infrastructure.

Meanwhile, www.firstpost.com reported that as per the draft development plan 2014-2034, BMC had decided to introduce the new concept of variable FSI, which meant plots could use FSI from 2.5 to 8. The development plan had prescribed 1.33 FSI in the island city and 1 in suburbs to contain population growth and density. The FSI has now been proposed to be raised to 2.5 uniformly.

According to housing expert, Chandrashekhar Prabhu, in the first instance, the carrying capacity of the area needed to be increased and then the FSI should be increased. It would neither reduce the housing prices nor would it mean affordable housing for poor. He said it would have disastrous consequences on the city's infrastructure.

He further added that people who currently had adequate facilities would be deprived of these if the proposed FSI came into effect.

Whenever the FSI had been increased, it was meant to reduce housing prices and to provide affordable housing, but it had never happened so far. He said the increase in FSI would only benefit the developers.