State govt to decide on freehold land in fortnight

Mumbai: The state government will pass a resolution regarding freehold land in 15 days. This was revealed in a meeting recently chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis with a few residents who have been demanding freehold status for their land in the occupancy category.

The transfer of occupancy and leasehold lands into freehold will give tenants the status of an owner and thus the redevelopment process can be carried out.

In the next 15 days, the premium rate to be charged will be tabled before the Cabinet. Once the premium rates are decided, lands can be converted.

“A committee was appointed to decide on the premium to be charged and the report will be put before the ministry to pass the rates. In the meeting, Mr Fadnavis told us that the report would be up before the Cabinet in the next 15 days and therefore the decision on freehold land will be made soon,” said Salil Ramachandra, a resident of Shiv Shrushti complex in Kurla.

The residents have been demanding freehold status for the past five years.

In 2016, the government had amended the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (1966) and allowed the conversion of class II and leasehold land into freehold land by paying the premium to the government.

Once the land is freehold, the tenants can mortgage, sell or redevelop the property without taking the permission of the state government.

Under the cooperative movement from the 1950s to the 1980s, the government had allotted lands to many cooperative housing societies.

There are five such housing societies in the city: Sion Koliwada Colony, Wadia Trust Estate (Kurla), Chembur Colony, Thakkar Bappa Colony (Chembur) and Mulund Colony. Approximately, 5,000 families are residing in these colonies.

“The buildings are around 40-50 years old and need to be redeveloped soon, but it is stuck due to the pending decision on freehold status,” added Mr Ramachandra.