Spacing it out with three ‘R’s

The erstwhile Central Business Districts of Abids-Koti as well as industrial areas of Sanatnagar, Azamabad, Kattedan in Chandrayanagutta and parts of old city are to become Regeneration, Renewal and Redevelopment Zones (RRRZs) in the new Master Plan (MP).

The plan in its final stages of preparation for the ex-MCH region focuses on flexible land use policy, infrastructure development along with RRRZs to initiate special development housing projects to cater to the rise in residents to 2.58 million. The total population is estimated to reach 6.13 million by 2031.

These special projects are to be undertaken with amalgamation of plots involving various departments and citizens. The MP has mooted rebates in building fee and charges ranging from 25 per cent to 50 per cent depending on the area of the plot, to the developers or owners.
Added incentive

Further, a moratorium in payment of property tax from two to five years too has been mooted as an added incentive to encourage group housing. Alternatively, it has also suggested a special discount in fee and charges from 25 per cent to 50 per cent to push road-widening depending to the extent of land lost.

RRRZs are to be divided into three categories to propel redevelopment through partnerships. Abids, its environs and parts of the old city constitute the first and second categories where area proposed for development should be between 9 -12 metres minimum road widths with plot sizes between 1,000 sq.mts and 2,000 sq.mts. Existing residents will be rehabilitated at the same site with minimum equivalent built-up area.

Prospective builders or owners will have to furnish a Rs. 100 stamp paper along with application for building permission.

These new structures will have one extra floor more than permitted under the common building rules subject to fire safety requirements.

In the third category of parts of the old city, plot sizes for redevelopment should have a minimum of 4,000 sq.mts with abutting road widths of 18 mts.

Open spaces within should be at least 36 sq.mts with six metre width for buildings with three floors high (10 metres), 64 sq.mts with minimum eight metre width for four floors (12 mts) and 100 sq.mts with 10 mts width for five floors (15 mts).

Parking is to be allowed in stilt floor and each of the group housing mooted should be separated by six metres. While no setbacks are required for interior clusters since open spaces are in built, those in the end adjoining roads should have a 1.5 mts setback. Land use conversion charges will also not be charged.
Public utilities

Five per cent of the site should be handed over free to GHMC for shifting public utilities.

In order to encourage social housing mix in the re-development housing programme, no fees or charges are proposed to be collected for developing Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) or Low Income Group (LIG) housing units in a separate block or floor. Prospective developers have to provide 10 per cent of total built up area for EWS/LIG with built up areas of 25 sq.mts and 40 sq.mts units, respectively, in equal measure.

In return, they will also be given an extra floor subject to mandated fire safety norms. Currently, data is being gathered from various departments to be integrated into the plan.