Date:31/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/31/stories/2005083100461900.htm

Back MHADA to evacuate 107 buildings, move residents to transit camps

Our Bureau

Mumbai , Aug. 30

THE Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will shift residents of 107 dilapidated buildings to transit camps, in view of the Chief Minister's order on evacuating residents from dilapidated and old buildings, said Mr Suresh Karande, Chief Officer, Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MBR&RB).

Over the last week, four dilapidated buildings have collapsed in the city that has 19,000 old buildings, mostly located in the island city. About 16,000 of these date back to the 1940s and many of them are in dilapidated condition. Around 1,400 buildings were built between 1940 and 1960.

MHADA has 56 transit camps and would need 1,500 apartments in these camps to house residents from these 107 buildings. The transit camps have 19,518 apartments of which 18,290 have been occupied. In these camps 450 apartments are vacant, 788 occupied by those staying beyond the allocated time and 625 likely to be vacated soon, Mr Karande told newspersons here on Tuesday.

The issue of old and dilapidated buildings in Mumbai has remained unresolved for many years, primarily due to archaic laws, prolonged and complicated litigations and apathy on part of the government.

The Chief Minster, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, during the summer session of the state legislature, had told the House that the State Government could consider raising the Floor Space Index (FSI) from the present 2.5 to four, in the case of redevelopment of 19,000 old buildings in the city, if MHADA takes up the redevelopment of these buildings.

Even after five months of the pronouncement, no new policy has been announced.