‘Global FSI’ to restrict construction in NDZs

MUMBAI: Although the state’s information technology policy allows developers to avail of 5 FSI, the urban development department (UD), while permitting the construction of IT parks in No Development Zones (NDZs), has imposed the concept of ‘Global FSI’, which will limit construction on these reserved plots to 1 FSI. This means that the total construction of all projects together cannot exceed the size of the NDZ.

Elaborating on this, a UD official gave an example. “If 100 acres of land opens up in an NDZ, the total construction allowed on the land will be only 100 acres and not 500 acres,” he said. “If an applicant with a four-acre plot in an NDZ approaches the BMC first, he can get 5 FSI as per the IT policy. However, the rest of the owners of the remaining 96 acres will then get even less than 1 FSI since the FSI is being calculated on the entire plot.” The official added that the cap of 1 FSI had been introduced to limit construction and to ensure that concrete jungles did not spring up over all NDZs in the name of IT parks.

The urban development department (UD) on December 28 approved the ‘Excluded Part’ (EP) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations 2034 for the BMC. While preparing the Development Plan (DP) of Mumbai for a period of 20 years from 2014 to 2034, some areas were not included in the plan and held back for future planning. Now after ten years of the DP, the state government has approved the EP for the next 10 years of the plan.

While allowing development in NDZs, the focus has been kept on employment-related construction and not on residential-oriented constructions.

“Considering the need and demand of IT users as well as the potential of this sector for employment-generation, it will be allowed for a limited period on certain conditions at present. The total sum of the proposed built-up areas approved in all proposals shall not exceed 100 percent of the total area of land in an NDZ. The BMC shall maintain the up-to-date record of all permissions granted along with the cumulative approved built-up areas in this zone and the same shall be made available on its website with real-time updates accessible to the general public,” states the notification.

While issuing notifications, the UD has demarcated areas which have forests, mangroves and so on as Natural Areas (NA), and has forbidden construction on these, since they are the lungs of the city. “There four objectives of this EP,” said a UD official. “First, to pave the way for slum rehabilitation on NDZ land, two, to protect natural areas forever, three, to create jobs by permitting employment-related construction like IT parks, and four, to limit construction through Global FSI.”