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It’s an explosion of a scale no terrorist could cause. If city NGO Shelter Associates’ estimate is on target, chances are over the next decade, Pune’s slum population could increase near-exponentially to overtake the more expensive highrises, bungalows and apartment blocks, effectively turning the city into one big slum tenement.
Shelter Associates has already submitted a survey report on Pune’s housing needs to the Central government, which points to the need for at least five lakh affordable homes. Interestingly, a recent survey by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) shows that 40 per cent of the city’s population is now living in slums, compared to 25 per cent who were doing so in 1995.
Shelter Associates’ executive director, Pratima Joshi, said, “At present, the shortfall in available slum households is 2.5 lakh houses, and 50,000 houses against non-slum households like wadas, gaothans.
Over the next 10 years the additional requirement is another 50,000 houses for organic growth of existing slum households, and 1.5 lakh homes for low income families who have migrated here. This means Pune needs a total five lakh affordable homes by 2020.”
“If we consider a 400 sq ft home as a standard requirement for a household, then the city needs approximately 20 crore sq ft of fresh construction by 2020. This translates to two crore sq ft of construction per year till 2020 in a planned manner.
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A recent PMC survey shows 40 per cent of the city’s population
now lives in slums, against 25 per cent in 1995 |
Every year, two crore sq ft of construction takes place in Pune. The need is to double the rate of construction to bridge the gap,” Joshi added.
Joshi also pointed out that, among the existing slum population, 75 per cent are long-time residents (living there for more than 10 years), and do not have exit options. Even gaothans are congested, wadas are crumbling and so many buildings are dilapidated.
While submitting its report to the Central government, Shelter Associates has suggested that a special authority for affordable housing be constituted. Joshi and Vishal Jain, a trustee for Shelter Associates, have given presentations to the the Central government to urge for a dedicated policy for affordable housing.
The NGO’s suggestion is that a ‘Pune Metropolitan Regional Affordable Housing Authority (PMRAHA)’ be constituted, a revamp of the reservation mechanism to accommodate 10-20 per cent reservation for construction of small-size tenements in large layouts, levying of a ‘shelter fee’ for small layouts at 10 per cent of the market value of the final construction.
The goal, ultimately, is to generate affordable housing (AH) stock or funds for AH in conjunction with all regular construction activity, besides automatic and speedy conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural land.
FSI Scheme
Leader of the ruling party in PMC, Nilesh Nikam, said the ruling have passed the proposal of amendment of Development Rules under Section 37 of the BPMC Act. If a Floor Space Index of 2.5 would be given to the builder for affordable housing, then the city will get some relief.
Through this amendment, the builder can construct flats of 30 sq m, and flats will not amalgamate, Nikam said.
“We have pushed a proposal for FSI of 2.5, but the PMC administration and the State government have to take the decision. If the PMC gives FSI of 2.5 FSI, then plumbers, carpenters and clerks can live in the 450-500 sq ft flats, and ultimately, real estate rates will go down.”
Ankush Kakde, chairman, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), Pune, said, “If the state government will apply the 2.5 FSI norm to MHADA’s colonies in Pune, then the lower income strata will get some relief.”
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09:58:26 PM