At recently held press conference at Mumbai Press Club, Managing Trustee of Praja Foundation, Nitai Mehta released its first white paper on Status of Affordable Housing in Mumbai. The white paper contains a complete report of the status of housing as per the population of Mumbai. The report states the following statics of housing as per the population.
11.36 lakh households stay in slums in Mumbai, out of a total of 28 lakh househols
15,274 homeless households
57% households live in one room
8% households do not have one room, but share a room with others
Only 203,624 units of public housing created between 1995-2014
Average cost of 269 sq ft house (at minimum ready recokner rate) is 12 times the median annual income of Mumbaikars, whereas the norm is that it should be less than four times the annual income.
To study the problem and come up with solutions Mehta said “Paraja has brought together a team of experts led by Mr Shirish b Patel, a vastly experienced civil engineer and urban planner, one of the three authors who originally suggested the idea of Navi Mumbai.
Mr K.G Krishnamurthy Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Property fund
Mr Aditya Somani, Chairman of Everest industries and
Mr. Ashok Dattar, Chairman of Mumbai Enviromental Social Network
Along with this team of experts, Praja will be putting forward as series of booklets, papers, notes and possible solutions to the this problem. The first booklet released today discusses basic issues such as housing, , FSI (Floor Space Index ) Crowding and densities. This booklet explains these Concepts to the citizens of Mumbai a user friendly manner.
Milind Mhaske, Project Director, Praja Foundation added, The political –social industry discourse to solve the problem of housing revolves around two extremes: One provide free or hugely subsidized houses and second increase FSI thus increasing supply and rationalizing costs.
Under the free housing schemes MAHDA has provided free housing to slum dwellers to a certain extent. Unfortunately these schemes are badly flawed with high corruption. Real News of India had reported about such housing scheme where slum dwellers are kept in shifting for a period of more than 7 years without a trace of being handed over their permanent houses. The present condition that they are living is below human standards at Golibar, Bandra East.
The other solution as suggested by the experts is new settlements moving out of the main and proper areas of the city. This can be very possible and successful if the government expands the network of trains and buses to new settlement areas. The public could purchase land space at a much lesser price than compared to the high unaffordable prices in Urban Mumbai.
It is to be seen what measures the new BJP led government would take up to solve this acute problem of housing.
