M'shtra plans rationalisation of FSI, industrial licensing policy

The state government is considering rationalisation of floor space index (FSI) and industrial licensing policy for the Mumbai metropolitan region to restore Mumbai's primacy, said Sanjay Ubale, secretary, special projects.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Indian Merchants' Chamber (IMC) on 'Strategies for Rejuvenating Mumbai'.

He further said the city limit should not be restricted to Mahim or Dahisar only but should be expanded to include Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai, Panvel and other parts of the metropolitan region. Mumbai can remain globally competitive only if it is supported by the manufacturing and services sectors.

For this purpose, the government is considering rationalisation of FSI in select nodes of the city for relieving congestion, for facilitating the creation of urban infrastructure, in overall context of urban renewal, he added.

He said there should be a productive use of 1,600 acres of land lying with the Mumbai Port Trust. Nearly one-third of it remains unutilised and encroached upon.

According to him, 1973, 1976 and 1991 were critical for Mumbai, which sent the city on a declining trajectory.

Elaborating on this point, Ubale said in 1973, City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) was created for the development of Navi Mumbai so that commercial activities could be shifted there to reduce burden on Mumbai. But CIDCO at best created a dormitory for Mumbai.

In 1976, the Urban Land Ceiling Act was implemented, which created artificial shortage of land supply in the city and land prices went through the roof.

In 1991, the central government enacted the Coastal Regulation Zone Act robbing the city of a large chunk of land for development around its central business district.