Authorities hit upon win-win solution to tie builders' FSI and profits with the width of roads
While the FSI is highest in SoBo, this is where the lanes are narrowest as well
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Soon, Mumbai will not just open up its skies to taller buildings, but will also free up space on the ground for wider roads. And, developers who have encroached upon our roads will now find that it is in their interest to free up land for wider roads, as this will increase the FSI (Floor Space Index) for their projects.
The BMC is paving the way for wider roads with a new policy that will only allow utilisation of maximum FSI if the neighbouring roads are more than 9 metres wide. The minimum advisable width of a road is considered to be 30 feet, which is roughly 9.15 metres - the width that has now been mandated by the civic body. Corporation chief Ajoy Mehta said, "We have been instructed by the state government to widen our roads over 9 metres and also mark new road lines of the same width. This will ensure that the roads are wider."
The civic body has the power to prescribe a road line (demarcation of yet to developed roads) under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. A civic officer said, "With an estimated increase in traffic and new tenements, we have mentioned in the Development Control and Promotional Regulations 2034 that all the roads should be over 9 metres wide. We are coming up with a policy that will help us identify narrow roads that need to be widened."
Impact on SoBo
The BMC is currently in the process of finalising this policy, and once the civic body issues a circular, it will come into execution. The impact of this policy is likely to be greatest in south Mumbai, which has the highest residential FSI but also the narrowest roads. SoBo has a maximum FSI of 3, according to the Development Plan 2034.
However, as mid-day has reported several times before, the island city features roads are narrow as 10 feet, which has proved to be a fire hazard in the past. The government thinks south Mumbai is developed enough to handle a larger resident population; hence, the higher FSI. With the new road policy, the authorities will ensure that it has wide streets to match as well.
In the suburbs, maximum FSI goes up to 2 or 2.5. However, commercial buildings across the city will enjoy a maximum FSI of 5, as long as the road width meets norms. The wider the road, the higher the building can go. Through this, the state hopes to also generate 80 lakh employment opportunities in commercial establishments.
Everyone wins
A senior civic official said, "Currently, there are not enough wide roads, as there are buildings on either side. But if developers want to utilise the full potential of the FSI, they will have to push back and give space for road widening. This will help achieve our objective, as well as theirs." Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the scrutiny committee's report on Tuesday, paving way for the long-pending Development Plan 2034. The state will also rename the Development Control Regulations 2034 as Development Control and Promotional Regulations (DCPR) 2034.
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