MUMBAI: More urban set-ups like Navi Mumbai are expected to spring up from the rural parts and the small towns around the city over the next few decades, powered by a state government move this week to extend to non-corporation areas the same construction potential as available in big cities.

The move to apply the development control regulations (DCR) beyond places with a municipal corporation will bring benefits such as double FSI to an area that is collectively three times that of the city in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, while also promising to bring down the real estate demand and overheated prices in highly urbanized places such as the city, Thane, Mira-Bhayander and Navi Mumbai.

The move will fast-track urbanization in the metropolitan region as it will bring in a large stock of cheaper land and housing options together with the promise of better infrastructure. Officials say such development will take the load off the city and Thane.

The cheaper land stock is in the jurisdiction of nine municipal councils and nearly 200 nagar panchayats in around 1,000 villages in the metropolitan region.

A major fallout of the government decision is the doubling of FSI in these areas from .75 to 1.5 and the offer of various FSI incentives for essential urban needs like housing, institutions, guest houses, IT parks, semi-government offices, public undertakings, biotech parks, religious buildings, police buildings, public libraries, Mhada schemes and redevelopment projects.

The government decision came with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan approving the government resolution named 'Standardized Development Control and Promotion Regulations for Regional Plan Areas in State' four days ago.

The decision will be applicable to municipal councils and panchayats across the state and will mostly benefit cities which are expanding.

Town planning expert V K Phatak said only increased FSI and FSI incentives would not be enough to attract development and developers, but amenities will also be needed.

"Potential and demand will go up only if the government brings in better transportation facilities and civic services in these areas to make them future magnets," he said. "Mere FSI hike can't create demand and will only be able to take care of the supply side and pricing in case of high demand."

Other experts said that with the state government move, under-utilization of land in the metropolitan region would go away as available land stock would be optimally used. They said it would slow down the pace of conversion of agricultural land into urban land in these areas as the developable land would be enough to cater to the demand because of the new FSI regime.

"Surely the conversion of agriculture land into non-agriculture will come under control with this," said Phatak.

Officials close to the development said the move also offered FSI incentives against road widening.

"The more the width of the road to be widened, the more will be the FSI against the acquired land and road space which can then be utilized for housing and commercial development," an official said.

A source in Mantralay said those with houses beside wider roads will get more FSI.

"Now that the FSI of the road will be used for housing, the owners will get up to 90% FSI for construction instead of the existing 75% FSI," the source said. "The road width criteria has also been enhanced so that residents get more FSI and better TDR [transfer of development rights] against road widening to make urbanization more attractive for even the residents."

TDR is the making available of a certain amount of additional built-up area in lieu of the area relinquished or surrendered by the owner of the land to the government for public projects.

Besides taking away height restrictions in building construction, a fungible FSI of .20% has been granted for the buildings to avoid illegalities in constructing balconies, galleries and corridors in the new townships.

"In these areas developers will be able to develop terraces on alternate floors in the housing schemes to make the housing more attractive for buyers," a source said. "The land owner will be able to develop the plots reserved by the state for schools and hospitals instead of the state taking these for the same purpose."

How will they help

All municipal councils and nagar panchayats in state will have development control regulations similar to municipal corporations in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur Aurangabad, Nashik etc.

In Mumbai region, the step will facilitate urban development similar to Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai in an area, mostly comprising municipal councils and villages, which is three times more than the city's area

The inclusion of cheaper and huge land for urban development will not only catapult urbanization but will take the load off Mumbai by offering cheaper land and housing, and bigger and better township options to developers, investors and people

According to experts with state government with this move underutilisation of land in these areas would go away with more and more such land stock would then be optimally used. This, they said, would also slow down the pace of conversion of agriculture land into urban land in these areas as the existing land in these areas will be enough to cater to the demand with new FSI regime.

The new enactment of "Standardized development control & promotion regulations for regional plan areas in Maharashtra" through a GR issued last week doubles the existing FSI in these areas from .75 to 1.5.

The move offers FSI incentives against road widening; which means more the width of the road to be widened more will be the FSI against the acquired land and road space which then can be utilized for housing and commercial development

Those will have houses in front of wider roads will get more FSI. Now that the FSI of the road will be used for housing, the owners will get up to 90 per cent FSI for construction instead of existing 75%. The road width criteria has also been enhanced so that residents get more FSI and better TDR against road widening to make urbanisation more attractive for even the residents.

Transferable developmental rights (TDR) facility has been allowed in these areas. TDR means making available certain amount of additional built up area in lieu of the area relinquished or surrendered by the owner of the land to the government for public projects

The state has also taken away height restrictions in these areas for building constructions.

A fungible FSI of .20% has been granted for the buildings so as to avoid any illegalities in building the balconies, galleries and corridors in the new townships.

Additional FSIs for institutions, guest houses, IT parks, semi government offices, public undertakings, bio-tech parks, religious buildings, police builidings, public libraries, Mhada schemes, redevelopment of buildings have been given so as to catapult urbanisation.

In these areas developers will be able to develop terraces on alternate floors in the housing schemes to make the housing more attractive for buyers.

Even the land owner will be able to develop the plots reserved by state for schools and hospitals instead of state taking them over for the same purpose.

BOLD STEPS IN PERIPHERAL RURAL AREAS

* If development permission is not granted in 60 days, it will be treated as deemed permission

* 15% FSI incentive for redevelopment of buildings

* 100% FSI against land lost to widening of national and state highways and service roads

* Development permission can be revoked in case of submission of false documents

* Residential buildings more than 15 metres in height allowed

* TDR will be attractive and will be in accordance with land values

* Commercial use of government land, such as land belonging to zilla parishads, is allowed

* Special townships, tourism projects and mobile towers allowed in accordance with latest guidelines

* Mining and quarrying for construction material to be allowed subject to conditions

