ash khan

Once again, you will be able to buy a 1BHK flat in city
Every builder will have to ensure that 30 per cent of the homes they build measure between 400 and 600 sq-ft

Surendra Gangan


Don’t just think big, think small too. To make middle-class Mumbaikars’ realty dream a reality, the government would make it a must for every builder, big or small, to ensure that 30 per cent of the homes they build measure between 400 and 600 sq-ft.

So, expect one-bedroom-hall-kitchen (1BHK) to be back in vogue, along with the smaller one-room-kitchen. And with those, perhaps, the middle-class too would return to the city from the far-off suburbs.

Once the regulator for housing sector is in place, the built-up, super built-up area concept too would go. Thereafter, builders would have to price their flats on the basis of carpet area. A policy statement to this effect was made by revenue minister Narayan Rane in the legislative council on Tuesday. The detailed policy document would be placed before both Houses in the ongoing budget session.
Rane admitted that the government was aware of the skyrocketing realty prices in the city and its suburbs.

“Currently, the government does not have any control on the construction sector and its shooting prices. To bring small houses within the reach of the common man, we are making it mandatory for builders to earmark 30 per cent of any housing project for flats between 400 and 600 sq-ft,” said Rane.

He hinted at a relief in the stamp duty for buyers of smaller houses. “Previously, there was no stamp duty for any deal below Rs 5 lakh. We are thinking of a similar kind of waiver in the state budget to be tabled on Wednesday,” he said.
The issue was raised in the council by Madhukar Sarpotdar and fellow Shiv Sena MLCs.

Sarpotdar said that original Mumbaikars had been pushed out of the city and in the current scenario, only a rich man could afford to buy a house in the city. Jitendra Avhad of NCP alleged that the builders had stopped building 1BHK flats, putting paid to the middle-class home dreams.