Logistics hub: Bhiwandi may get FSI bounty

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority ( MMRDA) is considering an increase in the floor space index (FSI) in Bhiwandi near Mumbai in a bid to develop the town into a logistics hub, said two officials aware of the proposal.

The agency has prepared a development plan for more than 2,000 hectares of land, around 500 hectares of which will be used for the hub.

This will be part of MMRDA’s strategy to create more growth centres in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Apart from other regions, MMRDA is also the special plan ning authority (SPA) of the Bhiwandi Surrounding Notified Area of Thane district.

“This is being considered under the already prepared development plan for more than 2,000 hectares of land earmarked in and around Bhiwandi.

The final call will be taken after receiving nods from other relevant authorities soon,” said one of the officials cited above. FSI is the ratio of permissible development on any given land parcel. Currently, several landlords and companies have set up logistic parks in and around Bhiwandi based on FSI of 0.2.

However, many of these are said to be informal, not conforming to building permission and FSI norms, including no proper zoning for chemical and electronics warehouses.

The new logistics hub to be set up formally by the authority will take these factors into consideration. In the last few years, the Maharashtra government has been making efforts, through MMRDA, to develop new growth centres around the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including in Kalyan, Vasai-Virar, Greater Panvel and Pen-Alibaug through various programmes supported by improvements in infrastructure and transport.

For some time now, experts in urban infrastructure development have been suggesting FSI of 3-4 for these growth centres to boost efforts of developing these into growth centres.