Protection to hutments upto 2000 in 61 cities: Deshmukh

Mumbai, Apr 16 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said hutments in 61 cities of the state, including Mumbai, would be regularised and asserted that the cut-off year would not be further extended.

Replying to a marathon discussion in the assembly on the city and its problems, which continued for nearly six hours spanning two days, Mr Deshmukh said ''it is our commitment to regularise the encroachments upto 2000''.

He said the government is getting schemewise approval for the rehabilitation from the court.

''Mumbai has its own limitations and hence no encroachments beyond 2000 will be regularised'', he said.

Redevelopment of Dharavi should be considered as the pilot project for which even global tenders have been invited, he said and added that if this project was successful, it would also be implemented in other areas of the city.

He said in next two years, ten lakh houses would be constructed in Mumbai out of which 2.5 lakh would be constructed under each scheme of Rajiv Gandhi project, Indira Awas Scheme and JNURM. Under Slum Redevelopment Authority, 1.5 lakh houses would be constructed, while the Maharashtra housing area development authority would take up construction of the remaining one lakh houses.

While reiterating that henceforth government would allot the flats of 270 sq ft of carpet area (built up 360 sq ft) as per the national policy, he, however, clarified that this will not be applicable for schemes, where the construction work has already started.

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