Housing policy just a poll ploy: Opposition

Opposition parties and activists have slammed the housing policy that was announced by the BJP-Shiv Sena government on Friday. Opposition parties have claimed that the timing of announcing the policy months before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections was just another ploy and solutions related to complications of crucial redevelopment projects in the city has found no mention in the policy.

“The timing of announcing the housing policy months before the BMC polls indicates that the policy is not for betterment of the people, and mere timely ploy. The state government while announcing the housing policy has missed out on giving clarity on solutions to the crucial redevelopment projects. Redevelopment of projects like that of BDD chawls and Dharavi are of such huge scale that requires attention as they have the capacity to create massive amount of housing stock in the city,” said Sachin Ahir, NCP leader and former housing minister.

The state government recently failed to get any bidders for the redevelopment of Asia’s largest slum even after extending the bidding dates five times. However, on Friday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that both the mega redevelopment projects like that of Dharavi and BDD chawls are on track and the state government would soon finalise the future course of action for the redevelopment of Dharavi.

Sachin Sawant, Congress spokesperson, said, “Housing policy of a state cannot be announced in a private party programme. The state government thinks that by merely increasing Floor Space Index (FSI) the problem of affordable housing could be resolved. However, it is the opposite. Extra FSI is not the only solution for solving the problem of housing in the city.”

“Further, crucial information on housing policy is of a mere four pages. The government should make the whole housing policy public,” he added.

Kamalkar Shenoy, housing activist, said, “By opting for a premium in case of redevelopment of Mhada colonies, the state government has favoured the developers as there is no provision in the policy that makes it mandatory for developers to construct small houses that could be helpful in terms of housing for all.”