Thane in Maharashtra will be the first city to be redeveloped under cluster redevelopment, the first such project in Asia, which is likely to be kickstarted soon.
The proposed cluster development of Thane is one of the ambitious schemes of the government as it will pave the way for the citizens to get their own permanent houses.
By implementing this, Thane will be the first city in the country to redevelop an entire city, as it will assist the locals in progressing towards sustainable development. The scheme will be executed in Thane with the cooperation of both the government and the citizens.
The cluster development will enable economic growth of residential areas and also help safeguard open spaces and environmental resources. Under this scheme, houses are to be built closer together on a specific plot of land rather than distributed uniformly across vast areas across the whole complex.
Incentive costs are being paid to developers through the sale of flats in the building through Floor Space Index, the permissible development on a plot.
The growing population of Thane and the increase in construction of unauthorised buildings has put stress on basic infrastructure making it difficult to offer amenities to every individual.
The cluster plan is essential for forest land, creek shore, land conservation, infrastructure provision, and planned development of the ward. The Municipal Corporation of the city has developed a cluster plan to address the issue of hazardous buildings in the MMR region.
The proposed cluster plan will also include commercial buildings in certain places. The residents in such buildings will be provided 25 percent extra free area in addition to their current space.
If a new or redevelopment project has an area of 500 sq mtr or more, registration under RERA is required. As a result, projects under the cluster plan will be registered under RERA as well.
As part of this project, residents living in unauthorised houses will get 300 sq ft of house, whereas those who have shops will get 160 sq ft space. The residents living in unauthorised houses will have to pay at least 25 percent of the market value and at a market price rate for houses with an area of more than 100 mtr. These houses cannot be handed over for 15 years and the beneficiary will have to pay a premium to seek possession of a house.