Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today said the government plans to allow cluster-development of dangerous and illegal buildings,which will enable the residents to get 300 sq ft of tenements for themselves. A policy decision to this effect will be announced next month,he said. Replying to a debate on the issue raised through a calling attention notice in the Legislative Assembly,Chavan said there were 1,106 dangerous and 57 severely dangerous buildings in Thane. "Majority of these buildings are illegal structures," he said. Chavan admitted that the administration had failed to stop illegal constructions from coming up. "We need to find a permanent solution to this problem. As per the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act (MRTP),allowing illegal constructions is liable for criminal offence. But,over the years,we have been looking at illegal constructions from humanitarian point of view," he said. "The issue of illegal buildings will need to be dealt with separately," he said. Chavan said the structures in Thane are multi-storeyed vertical slums,whereas in Mumbai,such structures are single-storeyed. "This is a sensitive matter," he admitted. According to the chief minister,the policy is in the final stages and a notification would be issued next month after a detailed meeting on this issue. "Decision taken for Thane will be applicable all over the state," he added. According to the proposal being contemplated,Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) or any other appropriate authority can acquire the dangerous and illegal buildings for re-development through private participation or residents of these buildings can themselves prepare a re-development plan,which can be considered by the government. "300 sq ft tenements can be made available to the beneficiaries," he added. He said cluster development will be given priority through private,public ventures or MHADA. Meanwhile,in reply to another question on problems faced by residents of old MHADA buildings regarding delay in re-development,Minister of State for Housing Sachin Ahir said NOC to builders can be revoked if they have failed to complete the re-development projects and it can be given to other developers if 70 per cent of the residents agree. Occupants of transit camps will get 300 sq ft tenement in the re-development and the occupant will have to surrender the right of his original tenement to MHADA. Similarly,the government will upload a common legal draft of agreement for redevelopment on the website soon and a redressal committee will also be set up.
