Hindustan Times 02.12.2010
Civic body defends decision on parking FSIEven after a large-scale outcry on the public parking policy, in which the builders are given additional Floor Space Index (FSI) as incentive for constructing public parking slots in their premises, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) continues to back the scheme. The scheme has come Under the scanner after the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) issued notices to 13 builders, who are constructing skyscrapers in the mill land area, asking them to submit their environmental impact clearances.
"Currently, it is the only scheme where public parking lots can be created without incurring any cost," said Aseem Gupta, additional municipal commissioner.
He further added that the BMC restricted itself to just passing these projects based on the requirement of parking slots submitted by the traffic department. "The builders have to obtain other clearances and we have passed the projects based on the policy guidelines," he added.
The state, in 2009, had mooted a public parking policy where the builders were offered additional FSI if they constructed parking slots in their premises and handed them over to the BMC. More than 20,000 parking lots were sanctioned in the mill land area the of Lower Parel-Worli belt.
However, lawyer-activist YP Singh, whose notices to MPCB was responsible for the notices being sent to the 13 builders, said the whole parking scheme was tailor-made for the builders.
“The BMC should focus on providing other amenities like increasing the width of the roads, building new hospitals and schools. However, here the whole aim is to allow builders to construct large skyscrapers and reap huge profits,” said Singh. “The corresponding infrastructure is neglected in the name of public parking lots,” he added.
