The Times of India 25.08.2010
Finally, NTC gives 1.7L sq ft of land for mill workers’ hsg
MUMBAI: Mill workers, who have been making do with dilapidated, cramped rooms for years now, can finally hope to live more comfortably.
A stern warning from the state urban development department (UDD) has forced the National Textile Corporation (NTC) to cede 1.7 lakh sq ft of land to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) for mill workers’ housing. The NTC has also handed over one lakh sq ft to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for gardens.
The state has amended the development control regulations (DCR) to incorporate a clause that makes it mandatory for mill owners to hand over to the BMC as well as Mhada their share of open land as prescribed under the integrated development scheme (IDS) within six months of the mill’s closure or six months from the date of the issue of the notification, whichever is later.
According to the rules, owners of defunct mills, who wish to sell their properties, must give one third of the open space to Mhada for housing mill workers and another one third to the BMC for gardens.
Two weeks ago, when the NTC sold its Bharat and Podar mills, the state UDD instructed the BMC not to sanction any redevelopment plan submitted by the NTC as the textile corporation had failed hand over the BMC and Mhada their share of land.
Principal secretary (UDD) T C Benjamin said, “Now that the NTC has given 1.7 lakh sq ft of land, we can build houses for nearly 2,500 workers.”
Officials said that the NTC had last given land to the state in 2004. “Thereafter, it didn’t submit any land sharing plan,” said the official.
