No NOC from MHADA for redevelopment of standalone buildings

Henceforth, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) in Mumbai, Konkan, Nashik and Pune will not be permitted to issue NOC for carrying out redevelopment of a standalone building. State housing minister Jitendra Awhad issued a fresh condition for issuance of NOC, emphasising on cluster redevelopment instead.

The ministry stated that standalone building redevelopment comes with space limitations, making it difficult to improve the existing infrastructure and build new amenities. The new directions, which came into effect from April 28, state that except the old permissions that have already been given, MHADA cannot give NOC to a single building to carry out redevelopment.

In exceptional cases, the permissions need to be obtained from the housing ministry only. Anyone failing to adhere to the new condition will draw strict action. Vinod Ghosalkar, the chairman of the Mumbai building repairs and reconstruction board, MHADA, welcomed the decision. He said, “The redevelopment of a cluster will get extra FSI due to larger space. Apart from offering bigger houses to original occupants, the developer can also focus on amenities such roads, sewage, water, open ground, garden, and parking, among others.” He said that allowing redevelopment of a single building only overburdens the existing infrastructure. He added, “In the redevelopment of a standalone building, along with the original tenants, the developer also constructs surplus houses.

This only doubles the number of families. However, the roads, garden, water and sewer pipelines remain the same.” In Mumbai suburbs, MHADA has 56 colonies that are over 50-60 years old. In the island city, there are century-old cessed properties, on which minimum cess is collected. In a cessed property, the landlord and tenants are joint owners.