Govt pushes plan for hsg regulatory commission …….Ashley DMello
Mumbai: The state government is pushing ahead with a plan for a regulatory commission for the housing sector to protect buyers interests. State housing secretary S J Kunte said the draft regulations for the commission were being readied.
It is aimed at initiating measures to make the sale and purchase of houses more transparent, he said. Kunte, however, did not divulge the finer details of the plans at the Golden Maharashtra Infrastructure Summit organised by the Maharashtra Economic Development Council.
The state and the formal markets have not provided adequate housing to citizens and slumlords have stepped in to fill the gap, said Kunte.
Principal secretary (urban development) T C Benjamin said 10 independent residential townships were being developed in the state.
Architect Chandrashekhar Prabhu said going by the governments own definition of affordable housing, 98% of people living in the city could not stay in such accommodation.
Prabhu said the government should bring groups of people living in dilapidated buildings and slums together with those who want to buy flats. The groups that have land but not the money to buy a house will get one free and those who want to buy an affordable home can get a flat for Rs 15-20 lakh in places such as Dadar, Parel and Mahalaxmi.
Prabhu said Mhada had 120 properties that could be developed for affordable housing, fetching it Rs 15,000 crore for the development of infrastructure. He also said he had submitted details of the two plans to the state.