Mumbai’s prime business hub Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) has lost 47 hectares of land to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) even as the state government is trying to set up an international business center there. The move has reduced availability of office space in BKC which is competing with other states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
A notification issued by Urban Development Department (UDD) on November 18 has said “The state government is of the opinion that the area of A block should be excluded from the notified area of Bandra-Kurla Complex and be included in the area of jurisdiction of the municipal corporation of Greater Mumbai as a planning authority.”
The UDD has justified its move by saying that the area belonged to Mhada originally and the municipal corporation has laid down services such as water supply, drainage, roads for the A block. “The vice president and chief executive officer Mhada vide letter dated October 8, 2014 has requested to exclude ‘A’ block comprising Mhada layout from BKC notified area in order to ensure utilisation of full potential of FSI granted to Mhada layout by the state government in UDD,” the notification said.
It further added “The Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA vide letter dated September 3, 2015 has informed to the state government that the MMRDA has no objection to exclude area of A block from the notified area of BKC from the planning point of view on the request made by Mhada.” An official from the UDD said that the area de-notified from the BKC was a residential area before inclusion in the business hub. With the denotification, the area can no more be developed for business activities, he added. The official also said that the denotified area can be developed with full use of FSI 3 with the help of Mhada, but the areas under the BKC cannot avail FSI 3.
The government had announced to set up an international business center at the BKC after neighbouring state Gujarat announced Gift city as a global financial hub. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis even invited top corporate honchos to give ideas and invite investors from across the world. The area is spread across 370 hectares
