MUMBAI: On Monday, the state government designated a new authority, led by BJP MLC Pravin Darekar, to expedite self-redevelopment projects.
As the chairman of the newly established Self-Group Redevelopment Authority (SGRA), Darekar will hold the status of a Minister of State. He is known to have close ties with CM Devendra Fadnavis and also oversees the Mumbai District Cooperative Bank.
The SGRA aims to facilitate the redevelopment of old structures, while Mhada, the state housing authority, will serve as the coordinating agency for these projects.
Under self-redevelopment, housing societies manage the redevelopment themselves by hiring a project management consultant, architect, and contractor, without relying on a builder. The benefits generated from this process go directly to individual society members rather than a builder.
Activist Chandrashekhar Prabhu, who was a pioneer of this redevelopment method a decade ago, expressed hope that the provisions in the Government Resolution (GR) from September 13, 2019, along with subsequent GRs for self-redevelopment, are effectively realized and that all approvals will be streamlined under a one-window system.
Through this authority, the government aims to speed up redevelopment efforts and motivate residents to consider self-redevelopment options.
Redevelopment remains a significant challenge in the city, often stalled by conflicts involving residents, builders, and planning authorities.
Last year, a committee led by Darekar was established to recommend solutions to the challenges of self-redevelopment.
The 2019 GR introduced incentives for registered cooperative housing societies to promote self-redevelopment, with the Mumbai District Cooperative Bank agreeing to finance such endeavors.
In July, the committee presented its findings to the government, leading to the CM’s endorsement of the SGRA’s formation and Darekar’s appointment as chairman via a new GR issued on Monday.
Housing society expert Ramesh Prabhu noted that over 10,000 housing societies have pursued redevelopment through builders since 2000, yet only around 25-30 have engaged in self-redevelopment due to a lack of support and a robust legal framework.
