Maharashtra Draft Housing Policy 2025 Pushes Transit Homes On Salt Pan, Port Trust Land To Fast-Track Slum Redevelopment

To speed up slum redevelopment and tackle the acute shortage of housing for project-affected people (PAP), the draft Maharashtra State Housing Policy 2025 proposes setting up permanent transit accommodations on salt pan lands and Mumbai Port Trust land. The policy identifies the PAP housing shortfall as a key obstacle delaying Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects.

To tackle delays caused by uncooperative or ineligible slum dwellers, the policy emphasises strict compliance under Sections 33 and 38 of the SRA Act. Noting frequent postponements in demolition drives due to inadequate police support, the policy outlines plans to rent private security personnel to maintain momentum. A dedicated cell will also be formed to prevent the emergence of new slums.

The policy introduces a streamlined process for validating slum dwellers' eligibility via Annexure 2. A competitive bidding process will select an agency responsible for collecting documents such as electricity bills and verifying them with power distribution companies, aiming to reduce manual errors and delays.

Recognising challenges in acquiring private land due to unattractive compensation, the policy proposes offering landowners 25% of the land’s value as a new incentive. Additionally, SRA has proposed becoming the developer for stalled projects on public land. After appointing a contractor and completing the rehabilitation phase, it plans to recover costs through housing lotteries or auctioning the saleable portion.

To further encourage developer participation, incentives such as additional Floor Space Index (FSI) and saleable built-up area will be offered in exchange for more PAP housing. Provisions also include cluster redevelopment for adjacent slum clusters, potential joint ventures with the Centre for projects on central government land, and use of CSR funds to support redevelopment.