2011 Housing Policy:

Govt. of Maharashtra

Joint Venture: MHADA

and Private Developers

Efforts By: Ar. Omkar Parishwad

III Sem, MURP, SPA, Bhopal.

Feasibility of Incentive housing in Urban/Rural

areas of Pune Region

Lack of affordable housing in Maharashtra state led the State government to formulate

policies for provision of low cost housing. The main objective of these policies is to facilitate

affordable housing and create adequate housing stock for Low Income Group (LIG) and

Economically Weaker Section (EWS) on ownership or rental basis. The government is of the

opinion that such housing stock can also be created on private land by incentivising the owners

with an additional FSI in joint venture with MHADA.

As part of internship assignment 2011

Pune Region

Pune District located in the western Maharashtra side on eastern side of Sahyadri mountain

ranges. The area of Pune region (district) as per census records is 15620 sq.km. As per the

census 2011, the total population of the Pune region is 9,924,224 and has 82.91% population

which is literate.

Urban - Rural Classification (Census 2001)

As per the census 2001, the total population of the Pune region is 7,232,555. There are

1,517,041 households in Pune Region, of which 586,439 reside in Pune metropolitan. The

population density is 462 people per/km². The current population

of Pune urban agglomerate is over 4 million;

Pune Region Urban : 881,400 households

Pune Region Rural : 635,640 households

Around 50% housing backlog in Urban for Pune region and 75%

in PMR alone is estimated. A backlog of 9.98 lakh households

was estimated for the year 2001, 7.19 lakh in the urban areas of

PMR; with an income group distribution of LIG (57.1%), MIG

(26.5%) and HIG (16.4%); the figures seem to have under-

estimated as per the current situation[Ref: Draft Regional Plan

Pune ’90-91].

Settlement hierarchy- Growth centres

Administratively, the Pune region is divided into 14 talukas & 13 Panchayat Samitis. These

are Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed, Maval, Mulshi, Velhe, Bhor, Haveli, Purandar, Pune City,

Indapur, Daund, Baramati and Shirur (Urban growth centres). Pune city is the administrative

headquarters of the district. There are around 1,866 villages in this district. Some smaller

towns (Rural growth centres) in the region with Municipal Councils are:

Junnar

Narayangaon

Khed

Chakan

Lonavla - Khandala

Bhor

Saswad

Jejuri

Nasrapur

Pirangut

Daund

Shirur

Indapur

Walchandnagar

Bhigwan

Baramati

Talegaon Dabhade

Wadgaon

There is one fast-

developing village

Uruli Kanchan which

is not administered by

any municipal

corporation. This

village is having Gram

panchayat.

Housing status

With rapidly rising prices of urban lands and difficulties in increasing urban stock due to

phenomenally high infrastructure cost, it is but natural that there is huge shortage of urban

land stock. As Pune is on its path of rapid development, steep increase in rate of urbanisation

will follow in-migration, to its urban centres in search of employment, educational and

Pune Region population

distribution

medical facilities, as well as entertainment and better social interaction. Thus, an increase in

FSI to accommodate denser population is not only necessary, but also imminent.

Govt. of Maharashtra Housing Scheme from Urban Development

department (TPS/12901/1450/CR-301/2010/UD-12)

In order to facilitate the development of affordable housing scheme by private owners in joint

venture with MHADA, the state government has decided to offer higher 2.5 FSI to such joint

venture schemes. Considering the feasibility of the scheme, suggestions and objections of the

public parties, the various points have ascended as discussed ahead.

Definition of Affordable Houses

The housing shortages affect mostly the EWS and LIG, affordable houses, for the purpose of

this scheme, may be taken as houses ranging from about 300 sq. ft. (Super built-up area) for

EWS and 500 sq. ft. for LIG at costs that permit repayment of home loans in monthly

instalments not exceeding 30% to 40% of the monthly income of the buyer. In terms of carpet

area, an EWS category house would be taken as having a minimum 25 square metres of

carpet area and not exceeding 30 sq.mt. and the carpet area of an LIG category house would

be limited to a maximum of 50 sq.mt. [Ref: Maharashtra State housing policy; Housing

Dept.; Mandatory layout for EWS/LIG/MIG].

Development control Regulations

The policy states a few developmental regulations. The public participatory views some

regulations to be explicit for this policy. These are discussed briefly here forth, point wise.

The minimum area of the plot as per the govt. policy is 2000 sq.mt. It should be different

for urban, rural and various gaothan, zoned not on the basis of TDR, but on the population

density criteria inversely (In case of PMC, TDR zone have been decided based upon the

then existing election wards, where there are many non-gaothan plots where the FSI is 1

and TDR is not permissible by virtue of they being in ‘A’ zone).

The access point existing road widths should be of minimum width of 9m as per the

prevailing DCR. The width should be directly proportional to the scheme area.

Total permissible FSI shall be 2.5 on the gross plot area (as per scheme). On the Plot,

approx. 10% open space and 15% amenity are mandatory as per regulations. The net plot

area thus remains 75% and allowing 2.5 FSI on the Gross land area will mean 3.33 times

the FSI on net plot area.

The height restrictions are 12 to 21m. Considering the restrictions on horizontal spread,

the height restrictions should be relaxed. Land slope of 1:5 and below should be permitted

as per the sanctioned regional plan of Pune. Also the relaxations in margins and tenement

density might be necessary.

The mixed land use criteria of convenience shopping and other amenities such as the

medical, educational, etc. depending upon the size of the project should be stipulated.

Development of infrastructure like roads, water supply, sanitation and other amenities near

the housing site of an area, higher than a Hectare, through development planning process,

facilitated by MHADA funding support for at least the built up above the permissible

normal FSI.

Due to such a large FSI increment, the number of tenements is going to increase almost

three-fold. To avoid the parking catastrophe, as is the case of today, the parking norms, the

basement provisions and issues related to the cost of construction increment need to be

addressed here.

As in case of the township policy, the NA permission needs to be reviewed. This is a time

consuming procedure and could be deemed unnecessary for this policy.

Construction guidelines:

According to the policy, 50% of the FSI over and above basic (normal) FSI shall be

utilized by the private owner/developer for construction of EWS/LIG houses for MHADA

and handover the same to the MHADA. This rate shall not be more than cost of the

construction of tenement. It would only be unfair to rule out the developmental costs,

contractor profits and premiums as may be payable to local authorities. Also the procedure

or stages of reimbursement by MHADA to the developer need to be stated, perhaps based

on the certification of work completed. Also, some concession should be given in case of

developmental and other service charges (stamp duty, value added tax, etc.) by the

sanctioning authorities.

The tenement which will be handed over to MHADA shall not be in a separate building,

but in the same building of the free sale tenements. This policy guideline was drawn as to

prevent the discrimination of the housing quality or specification. The cost of construction

will vary from developer to developer. It could be therefore that MHADA decides on the

cost of construction of the tenement as per the DSR of PWD on basis of which the

developer will be compensated for the tenements handed over to MHADA. Or MHADA

can decide on the specifications for the tenements to be constructed for them.

If the above-said is considered, the tenements can be accommodated in a separate building

allowing them with a desired flexibility in the amenities/specifications and thus the

maintenance cost. As for the transfer charges, this would be efficient for distribution of

rights at the time of redevelopment.

While deciding the construction rate, the cost of internal land development such as roads,

swimming pool, M.S.E.B. connections, Gas connections, street light, drainage line,

compound wall, water supply line, landscape, etc. should be considered.

This policy states a proviso to levy premium of 5% of Ready reckoner rate. This seems to

be a very small amount as compared to the growing needs for infrastructure. Especially in

case of bigger projects, MHADA should contribute proportionately towards re-

imbursement of infrastructure costs such as roads, sewage treatment plan, water,

electricity, storm water drains, etc.

Slum Rehabilitation

Maharashtra has 10.6 million urban poor population (27% of urban population), largest

among all states and equal to 1% of India’s total population. The Percentage of urban poor to

total poor in Maharashtra has almost doubled (from 24% to 45% between 1977 and 2000).

The need for Slum rehabilitation counts to 2.5 to 4 lakh units in Pune region itself. [Ref: State

Planning Division; Maharashtra State Development Report; 2005].

The state initiative is the policy of 25% land reservation for EWS housing (in-situ housing)

for the township projects. The rehabilitation projects are normally failing due to no co-

operation from the slum dwellers. They sell or rent the rehab houses and establish slums in

their prior location. This has led to a more complex situation in these types of projects.

Real Estate Market Trends

Since the recession period, the 2-Bhk housing costs increased considerably. The low cost

housing in Pune gained importance. The challenge was to find location and land for

construction. The price range statistics for budget homes was then set for: 3-Bhk @ 20–25

lakh; 2-Bhk @ 12-20 lakh and the rent to 8500-11000 per month for 2-Bhk in IT sector [Ref:

www.housinginindia.com].

But the market ‘lower loan to value ratio’ and ‘sufficient liquidity’ made consumers less

susceptible to housing crisis. It improved the standard of living, ensured growth of IT and

ITES sector, rise in mall culture and placed real estate as an investment vehicle. Ever since,

the demand for shopping arcades, parks and plazas are increasing. Thus higher taxation

levied by the govt., e.g. Property taxes (30% of sale tax), became eminent.

Recently as low cost housing is becoming a priority, the state govt. and also the private

builders are taking initiative. Projects such as Kondhave Dhawade and Mont Vert Belair

(Bhugaon, Pune) are coming up with a low price range of 2-Bhk @ 20 lakh where normal

prices range up to 30-40 lakh. Sterling construction System and Eredene Capital Pic (US joint

venture- 100 crore) had an affordable LIG project ‘Tanaji Malsure City’ of 10,000 flats (300

to 500 sq. ft. carpet) at Katraj, Pune at price range of 3.5 to 7.5 lakh for Pune residents

(2008).

Conclusion and Inferences

The housing shortage in the Pune needs to be addressed vigorously if the development is to

be ensured in the right direction. Needless to say in the Pune city the FSI increment has

become requisite. But the rural areas too need to be developed in the same fashion as a tool

for decentralisation. Pune region needs to be worked out in a comprehensive way in order to

ensure its overall and regularised growth. This is very well possible if the above points are

addressed and worked upon.

Considering economic, demographic and environmental complementarities that exist between

rural and urban areas in Pune Region, there is a need to promote rural-urban linkages as a

development approach, which posits urban and rural areas as the two ends of the human

settlements continuum. Thus, the rural dimension of sustainable urban development should

emphasize requisite infrastructure, addressing the challenge of increasing investment in

physical, economic and social infrastructures, for the discussed policy that is supportive of

urbanization.

‘MHADA Controversies: The draft provision of granting incremental FSI for such affordable

housing projects is most welcome being long overdue. Since the repeal of Urban Land Ceiling Act

and even before the repeal, the government has been unable to provide sufficient lands to MHADA. It

has been seen especially in Pune and similar cities that even when lands had been provided to

MHADA, virtually free of cost, it has failed to compete with Private developers both in terms of

quality and in terms of cost. MHADA tends to create huge overheads and to load them on to

customers.

Whenever FSI is increased, the basic land prices increase and land owners benefit in long term. The

draft proposal is creating MHADA as a second landowner, further increasing developers investments

and costs to end user. The government is unnecessarily attempting to create opportunity for its own

subsidiary which is presently jobless. By trying to rope in MHADA, an otherwise simple and logical

legislation will get complicated causing procedural delays, increasing corruption and overall cost.’

[Ref: Objections & Suggestions, Hemant Naiknavare

Naiknavare Developers Pvt. Ltd.; Pune]

References:

Pune Regional Planning Board. Draft Report: Regional Plan Pune, Maharashtra 1990-

2011.

Maharashtra State Housing Policy; Housing Department.; Mandatory layout for

EWS/LIG/MIG; 23rd

July, 2007.

Maharashtra State Planning Division; Maharashtra State Development Report; 2005.

Suggestions and Objections (Public participation):

M. G. Kulkarni, Suggestions & objections no. 2332, Pune; 13th

April, 2011.

Rajendra Nimbalkar, chief officer/Pune board, Suggestions & objections no. 2276,

Pune; 8th

April, 2011.

Vishal Constructions; Suggestions & objections no. 2223, Talegaon, Shirur Dist.

Pune; 6th

April, 2011.

Hemant Naiknavare, Naiknavare Developers Pvt. Ltd. Suggestions & objections,

Pune; 8th

March, 2011.

Credai Pune, ISO 9001 Organisation, Suggestions & objections; Pune 2011.

Vishwas Kulkarni, Architects, Engineers & Surveyors Association, Suggestions &

objections no. 1413, Pune; 3rd

March, 2011.

Ar. Dharmesh Chevli, Suggestions & objections no. 2223 Suggestions & objections,

Pune 2011.

Nayan Shah, Mayfair Meridian; Suggestions & objections no. 1411, Mumbai, 28th

February, 2011.

Kalpataru Ltd., Suggestions & objections no. 1383; 3rd

March, 2011.

Mandar Barbhai, Suggestions & objections no. 2694; Pune, 4th

May, 2011.

Dr. Satyajeet Naik, Naik Hospital; Suggestions & objections no. 2696, Pune, 4th

May,

2011.

Website: www.housinginindia.com

Census 2001, 2011.