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1. Land in Mumbai: What is the future?
A recent news regarding opening of 5,300 acres of salt pan land for development in Mumbai
attracted attention of a large number of people. As land is at the centre stage in this financial capital
of the country, any decision in this regard affects not only the populace but also the very basis of
city’s ecosystem. Hence, this article focuses on educating readers on landscape of this keenly
watched global metropolis.
The city of Mumbai is situated on a landmass originally composed of seven islets which have been
joined through drainage and reclamation projects to form the landmass called Mumbai Island. It
mostly consists of a low‐lying plain and ridges. As compared to other cities in the Konkan region off
western coast of India, the natural beauty of Mumbai is unparalleled. The Mumbai Metropolitan
Region (MMR) is located in the tropical zome and covers an area of 600.71 square kilometres. The
area is about 10 to 15 meters above the region’s mean sea level.
What the landmass consists of?
Mumbai, which was called Bombay during the British colonial period, is located on a peninsula of
Salsette Island. The metro area, which was originally seven islands, is joined as one island by fill
removed from hilltops. The landmass of the MMR mostly consists of the following:
1. Agricultural land
2. Non‐agricultural land
3. Forest land
4. Wastelands (Salt affected land; Gullied/Eroded land, Water logged areas, Undulating upland,
with/without scrubs, Sandy area, Rocky outcrops.)
5. Coastal wetland (Tidal/Mudflats, Saltpans, Vegetated, Non‐Vegetated.)
6. Hills
Land is a natural resource that cannot be created. God is accepted as the sole owner of the land and
Government as its administrator. Other than personal ownership of land, a land pool used for
welfare of general public is administered by the government. In Mumbai, the total area of land
owned by the government is 467.81 sq km which consists of industry, agriculture, plantation,
airport/harbour, beach/gruynes, dense forest, sparce land, scrub land, rucky outcrop, coast wetland,
water bodies etc. Out of this, 247.31 sq km is developable area while 220.5 sq km area is non‐
developable.

2. Where from required land parcel come?
Day after day, the population of Mumbai is swelling alarmingly. All those shifting to this mega city
require a place to reside and the city has already exploited beyond its available land space. Then,
where this space will come from? How is it possible?
Conversion of land use is seen as the answer to above questions. Here, we are stating the procedure
for conversion of use of land from one purpose to another.
If an occupant of land (a) which is held for the purpose of agriculture, wishes to use it for a non‐
agricultural purpose, or (b) if land is held for a particular non‐agricultural purpose, wishes to use it
for another non‐agricultural purpose, or (c) desires to use it for the same non‐agricultural purpose
for which it is assessed but in relaxation of any of the conditions imposed at the time of grant of land
or permission for such non‐agricultural purpose, such occupant shall apply to the Collector for
permission in accordance with the form prescribed.
New Development Control Rules (DCR)
A person regularly deals with real estate sector directly or directly. He often comes across concepts
such as Floor Space Index (FSI) and Transferable Development Rights (TDR). These concepts are
explained in the Development Control Regulations for Greater Bombay, 1991. These Regulations are
applicable only for the City and suburbs of Mumbai.
The FSI has been defined to mean the quotient of the ratio of the combined gross floor area of all
floors in a building to the total area of the plot. The FSI denotes the total constructed area which is
possible on a given plot of land. For instance, if the area of a plot of land is 100 square metres and
the prevailing FSI quotient for that area is 1.33, then the total possible constructed area on that plot
would be 1,330 square metres.
The FSI is the most important component of real estate development as it signifies the amount of
construction which is possible on a given plot of land. Under the DCR, different FSI quotients have
been specified for different parts of Mumbai divided into zones such as residential, commercial,
industrial, educational etc. The maximum permissible FSI earmarked for some of the areas in
Mumbai are given below.
Number Area and type of occupancy FSI permissible
1 Residential and Commercial Zone
a) South Mumbai to Mahim
b) Suburbs
1.33
1.5
2 Service Industrial Zone 1.5
3 Institutional Buildings
a) South Mumbai to Mahim
b) Suburbs
1.33
1.5
In the following cases, certain additional FSI is allowed:
Road widening and construction of new roads: BMC would allow additional FSI on 100% of the area
required for the roads if the owner of the land surrenders it free of compensation to the BMC.
Institutional Buildings: BMC may permit additional FSI for such buildings subject to the terms and
conditions specified by the BMC in this regard.
Hotels: FSI can be exceeded by starred category of residential hotels in accordance with the terms
and conditions specified by the BMC in this regard.

3. MHADA Schemes: Low‐cost housing schemes, for the economically weaker sections of the society,
developed by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority are also eligible for
additional FSI over and above those specified in the table.
Cessed Buildings: For the reconstruction of cessed buildings located in the Island City, the FSI
available is as high as 2.5 on the gross plot area. A cessed building means a heritage building, etc.
Similarly for repairs of cessed buildings and Urban Renewal Schemes undertaken by MHADA the FSI
shall extend upto the area required for rehabilitation of the occupiers.
Slum redevelopment scheme: For redevelopment of slums, pavements, construction of transit camp
tenements, etc. additional FSI is allowed subject to the terms and conditions specified in this regard.
Software Buildings: BMC may permit the maximum permissible FSI to be exceeded by buildings on
plots of Information Technology establishments set up by Public Bodies such as MHADA, SEEPZ,
SICOM, etc. or their joint ventures.
Future of land and Govt’s planning
In its final draft of New Housing Policy and Action Plan, 2015, the Government of Maharashtra points
out that key factor affecting housing is cost of land. The key to reducing cost is supply of land with
Government being a catalyst in the process. The Government will introduce land supply periodically
by putting in place the necessary regulatory framework to encourage supply from the private sector.
It is necessary that government land as well as the lands at the disposal of State Government entities
such as MIDC, Mahasagar Dairy, ULBs, CIDCO, MHADA and MMRDA are pooled together and used
for housing, states the draft.
The land owner i.e. State Government or its entities will be compensated at the Ready Reckoner
Rate for use of their land to provide affordable housing. The government land bank will include all
land available with MHADA, MCGM and MMRDA in the city of Mumbai and in the other cities of the
State, the surplus lands with various State Government departments, textile mill lands in the share
of MHADA, unused MIDC lands, MIDC lands where the industries are defunct and which can be used
for housing etc. Preparation of the government land bank plan will ensure efficient land use. All such
surplus land will be beneficially used for housing, especially affordable housing, the draft further
adds.
The draft makes it clear that if the lands in the Government Land Bank are reserved for any purpose,
all such reservations shall stand deleted and the lands will be made available for affordable housing
unless the same is environmentally not feasible.