Maharashtra to appoint officials in every ward to check illegal construction

Mumbai: In the wake of catastrophic building collapse in neighbouring Thane last week, Maharashtra government has decided to appoint special officers at the municipal corporations to curb illegal construction. “We have decided to appoint an officer for each ward who will be responsible to check irregularities in construction activities,” Minister for State for Housing Sachin Ahir said here. Seventy-four persons, including 18 children, were killed in Thane district when an unauthorised under-construction building at Shil-Phata crashed on April 4. It was coming up on forest land. [caption id=“attachment_695762” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The site of the building collapse in Mumbra in Thane district. PTI. [/caption] “We are taking all the measures to ensure transparency in the system,” Ahir added. Earlier, while addressing a gathering at property expo, Ahir said the government was planning to modify development control regulation 33(5) that will help create more affordable housing. As per the proposed amendment, in place of additional floor space index, Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA) redevelopment projects will take extra flats from developers. “A notification will be out during the current Assembly session,” Ahir said. The amended rule can generate 20,000 additional low-cost flats, it is estimated. PTI