The Ministry of Environment and Forests is examining a proposal to change its norms to permit 100 per cent private schemes in slum rehabilitation projects in the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) areas. This is in sharp contrast to the present mandatory norm of implementing such projects under the Public-Private Partnership mode only, with the participation of the Government being more than 51 per cent.
This follows a proposal sent by the Maharashtra Government which has requested for withdrawal of the 51-49 per cent ratio in slum rehab projects in the CRZ areas so that the scheme can go as private scheme. To boost redevelopment of the slums in the CRZ-II areas, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) asked the MoEF committee to do away with the joint venture policy and requested that schemes in CRZ-II be allowed to develop with higher floor-space-index that is allowed for SRA schemes.
Sources said that the SRA had already been pursuing the Government on the plea that since the 2011 CRZ notification, no proposal has been received under the scheme. They pointed out that it is not economically viable, so developers do not come forward causing slums in CRZ-II areas to languish without redevelopment.
The modification in policy would result in private developers taking over slum rehabilitation projects in CRZ areas without the need to give a majority share to the State. There are over 250 slum pockets in CRZ areas in Mumbai whose redevelopment has been stuck as a result of the PPP clause imposed by the CRZ Notification, 2011.
Some of the major CRZ concessions requested to MoEF include modification to the 2011 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification. This was to allow reclamation for the Coastal Road Project and waiver of the joint venture that requires the State to have a 51 per cent stake in slum rehabilitation projects in CRZ areas. The sources said that with the new Government at the Centre, the State agencies are once again pushing for long-standing solution with the 2011 CRZ notification.