Shinde announces new plans for slum dwellers in Mumbai

Nagpur, Dec 13 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Shinde on Saturday said slum redevelopment schemes will now be implemented collectively on private, government, or semi-government lands measuring 50 acres or more.

Speaking in the legislative council, Shinde also made a few announcements about slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai, including the declaration of SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) group redevelopment projects and extension of the ‘SRA Amnesty Scheme’.

The announcements come ahead of elections to civic bodies, including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which are to be completed before January 31 next year. The deputy CM heads the Urban Development and Housing departments.

In recent days, Shinde has announced additional housing relief measures for Mumbaikars, such as the occupancy certificate (OC) amnesty scheme to regularise nearly 20,000 buildings in Mumbai and a new regulatory framework to redevelop buildings under the “Pagdi” system (a traditional tenancy rental model) in the metropolis.

“Slum redevelopment schemes will now be implemented collectively on private, government, or semi-government lands measuring 50 acres or more,” said Shinde in the Upper House of the state legislature on Saturday.

In the first phase, he said, 17 major locations across Mumbai have been selected, including Antop Hill, Krishna Nagar and Ketkipada (Borivali), Gopikrishna Nagar (Dahisar), Oshiwara, Govandi, Chitta Camp (Trombay), Chembur, Tagore Nagar (Vikhroli), Vikhroli Parksite, and Bhandup.

“This initiative is expected to provide significant relief to lakhs of slum dwellers in Mumbai,” he said.

Shinde said the state will implement the initiative on a joint venture basis with the assistance of government bodies such as MMRDA, CIDCO, MIDC, MSRDC, MHADA, and the BMC.

In the second phase, additional projects will be undertaken, which will help transform Mumbai’s landscape and promote well-planned urban development, he added.

Shinde extended the SRA Amnesty Scheme till December 31, 2026. The scheme is meant to resolve technical difficulties faced by citizens in the sale, purchase, or transfer of slum structures.

The deputy CM also announced an increase in the number of “Apex Grievance Redressal Committees” to ensure quicker resolution of complaints. Additionally, the government has extended the OC amnesty scheme of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) by one more year and will introduce a new scheme for houses built by municipal employees on BMC's leased plots, he said. PTI PR NR