Curation Team
PUNE: Raising serious concerns over the recommendations of Pravin Darekar committee on self-redevelopment, housing activists said the new proposals dilute key benefits offered in state govt’s 2019 govt resolution (GR) and create fresh roadblocks for middle-class homeowners.
Housing expert Chandrashekhar Prabhu said the committee’s report would erode crucial incentives for housing societies and make the process significantly harder for residents. “The 2019 GR offered 10% additional FSI as a major incentive, while the Darekar panel has instead recommended only a 10% increase in carpet area — which effectively provides no real gain for housing societies,” he said.
One of the most contentious recommendations, according to activists, is setting up a 30-year age eligibility criterion for buildings to qualify for self-redevelopment. “This criterion is arbitrary and unnecessary,” Prabhu said, pointing out that several buildings develop structural cracks and become dilapidated within just 10 to 15 years due to poor construction quality and are in urgent need of redevelopment. “There should be exceptions made for structurally compromised buildings regardless of age. Safety cannot wait for an arbitrary timeline,” he said.
The committee has also proposed that only buildings on roads at least nine metres wide be eligible for self-redevelopment. “So, what about authorised buildings on narrower roads? There should be no discrimination based on road width,” said Prabhu, calling the criterion exclusionary.
Another significant rollback flagged by activists is the shift from 2019 GR’s provision of procuring transfer of development rights (TDR) at 50% of ready reckoner rate to merely 10% discount on premiums — a substantial reduction in financial relief. “The original 50% discount on TDR rates was a game-changer for middle-class societies. The committee’s recommendation of just a 10% discount defeats the purpose,” said state housing federation members.
Activists have also raised objections to the imposition of land under construction tax for self-redevelopment projects, calling it an additional burden on societies already facing financial constraints. Federation members criticised the push for mandatory blockchain-based approvals,
State housing federation member Shreeprasad Parab said there is a critical need for a dedicated IAS officer to oversee the promised one-window clearance system within three months. “Without proper administrative oversight, the single-window system will remain on paper only,” he said.
Activists have also expressed reservations about the committee’s recommendations on cluster development, though they have not detailed any specific objections. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, while accepting the report last week at Vidhan Bhavan, said the recommendations would be forwarded to various departments for detailed study, after which a revised self-redevelopment policy would be framed. Housing activists are hoping their concerns would be addressed during this review process.
