Additional FSI & the City!

“The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.”... Oliver Wendell Holmes.


Recently  Hon. Central Housing Minister made a statement that its high time that the FSI ( Floor Space Index) of majority of the cities of the country needs to be increased to accommodate more & more people migrating in the cities. Its’ probably the first time any ruling minister have openly quoted about sensitive issue of FSI like that! The mere thought can make the developers & land lords go merry whereas the same thought can give jitters to most of the NGO's , Environmentalists! I think in last 2 or 3 decades the most popular term must be “FSI” after the term “Bofors” which got infamous after the scandal of buying the Guns of that company by Govt then, such is the power these three letters carries. Agreed still more than 70% population of this country lives in villages but the picture is changing fast. As I have repeatedly mentioned villages are becoming towns & towns are becoming cities & cities getting turned in to Metros. Reason for this may be any but we can’t deny the facts & figures. This is good or bad, well I am not the authority on that but what to do with this continuous flow of population towards the urban cities is the question! Quite a funny lot we are as a society, as when ever it’s as important issue as FSI, we allow our hearts to rule our brains! As the famous writer says it’s high time now to think in which direction we are moving especially on FSI front when its urban development .

As I said above ask any developer, more popularly known as builder, & he will say yes increase in FSI is most welcome; so will say the land lord who is holding any piece of land within or around the city. The logic is simple the land potential will increase & one can build more homes on the same piece of land, obliviously that’s opportunity of making more money for the people related to it. For this we need to understand what is FSI? Actually the term is very commonly used all across the urban cities in the country. It means floor space index, it’s the ratio which decided how much you can build on a particular piece of land. Though it’s governed by the local body i.e. Municipal Corporation or Nagar Parishad yet mostly it’s 1 all across the country. That means on 1000 sq ft of land you can build maximum of 1000sft construction. In cities like Mumbai is 2.5 to 3.0 but the Mumbai Municipal Corporation has different bylaws & they had limitation to expand as it’s an island covered by sea on three sides. The situation wasn’t same with most of the other towns & cities but then rate of growth was not also anticipated when the rule of 1 FSI has been adopted by most of the cities. Even for city of Pune its expected that the population of the city will touch 25 lacs in 2025, a figure which the city achieved nearly 15 years before the predicted date! On one side we keep on talking about affordable homes to all classes of the society & other side we don’t have any concrete action plan that how we are going to achieve this?

Presently we too have the FSI ratio as 1 in our corporation as well outside of corporation limit. The way city has been increasing in past few years soon the expand will be such that there will be no agricultural land in nearly 50km radius from the city center, rather there already isn’t any. Similarly in last few years there has been immense building activity in catchment areas of the dams serving to Pune & it has definitely affected the rain fall as well runoff. The Khadkwasala dam’s silting rate has been increased as large portion of vegetation has been cut in its catchment area making the soil erosion increase a lot. The ground water in surrounding also going down as in this extended as these building residents needs water & presently there isn’t any water supply scheme or system in existence. So ground water or tankers which again are being filled by water from bore wells, is the only source of the supply. Once upon a time the hills & fields around city were thickly covered with greens & variety of flora & fauna. Now only in some patches like NDA hill, we can see the evidence of this green past.  We need to mark a line for city expansion to conserve the surrounding natural habitats.

On this background the concept of increasing the FSI norms can be a good option by many. This will or can serve two purposes, first is increasing potential of existing land so making more homes available in the same land & second is reduce the horizontal expansion of the city. As when a city expands horizontally naturally all the basic infrastructure like roads, drainage, water & power needs to be provided to this growth. It’s a costly as well time consuming matter, though not at all impossible many will say. Issue is when we will be giving additional FSI these two purposes are being served has to be assured first. Many norms will be required to change as just changing FSI norms isn’t going to solve the problem. More FSI means more people on same land so tenement density has to be increased. Height of building & the norms of coverage as well side margins i.e. distances from the boundaries of the plot to the building has to be relaxed. Most important is accommodating parking of this increased population. Rather before going for such type of solution things like traffic congestion & strengthening of public transport needs to be taken in account & solved first or else it will only add on chaos which we are already facing on roads.

Also we need to understand that just making additional FSI available for the land won’t make the homes affordable as the landlords will immediately increase the land rates knowing the potential of the same. Also we will be required to go for high rise buildings to consume this FSI which will be adding to the construction cost of the building. We need to understand that cost of the houses is directly proportional to the land cost. So when we will be making additional FSI available then we have to make a upper cap on selling of the additional homes or a system by which they will be delivered to the needy ones & maintained too. Or else no one can assure that the only beneficiary of this decision will be landlords & in some present the builders making more money out of this additional FSI!

Then there are NGO’s as well Environmentalists whose claim is such decision will imbalance the basic structure of city environment as well the city’s infrastructure. There is some truth here as we are seeing all around we are unable t provide basic things like water & drainage or safe travel on roads to the existing city. What guaranty is there that with the load of this additional homes the city won’t collapse? The city’s underground water lines are leaking & drainage lines are chocked as well they are already age old & unable to carry the load of exiting population. There has to be a complete new setup of this all infrastructure then only it will be advisable for going in for additional FSI. Another important factor is reducing biodiversity within the city. As already there are very less green patches & space for the greening & biodiversity depending on the trees. With more number of buildings on the same area means we will be having even lesser space for the tree plantation. This aspect also have to be looked after.

Then comes issues of sufficient social infrastructure like Drama Theaters, Schools, Public Health, Play grounds, Parks & many such. Shame that we call this city as cultural capitol of the State & there hasn’t been a single new drama theater build in last 20 years or so, nor we have any art gallery or museum! We have thousands of private educational facilities but like the home where is affordable & quality education available to common man? With increasing population we have to plan for these neglected but equally important aspects of life too.

Agreed first priority of the Govt should be making a good home available to every segment of the society & here is where wise words like the quote above has to be remembered while taking any such decision like FSI when it’s related to the city & its citizens. Because a quality life doesn’t mean just making good water or roads available to the citizens but it means providing good social environment too!

Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

Envo-Power Committee, Credai, Pune

Please do visit my blog to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the link below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/

Social Side of Sanjeevani !(Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157628805700569/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

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Think Green, Think Life

Creativity & Real Estate!

Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas...Donatella Versace

Creativity is the greatest expression of liberty...Bryant H. McGill

Friends, you may wonder why I choose two quotes for the topic? Well first it’s about creativity & on humorous note creativity to me has no why & how?  Secondly on serious note I found the two quotes very parallel to each other considering the subject. Versace the great Italian designer says its conflicts of ideas! Let people express their ideas & from the conflicts of them only something creative is going to be the outcome. And McGill the writer says creativity is greatest expression of liberty! A very different dimension & its freeness of mind & system around which makes one able to express what idea he has thought of, is creativity! Means when we read & analyze the two quotes simultaneously we can take a common outcome; creativity is liberty of sharing ideas freely! As for creativity there has to be conflict of idea but this conflict isn’t forcing our ideas on each other but respecting them as each one has liberty to express them freely & then only the creativity can be at its best!

You will wonder where the topic is going in the context of creativity & real estate? Well, recently on FB i.e. face book I came across a comment by my friend with a photograph along of a beautiful ancient water storage tank with steps on all side of it, a typical of early architecture classic! My friend was saying with so many builders around why even one can’t make such structure now days?

Many a people thinks its waste of time on FB & why to take seriously the comments made over there? But for me I take it as my window towards the world around. It’s same like reading a book or watching a movie! The window is open doesn’t mean we spend all the time in home watching outside of window neither we keep it closed with fear that we will get addicted of watching out all the time! It’s up to us how we use the window & the time watching through it! Addiction of anything is wrong, even may it be watching out of your home window, however beautiful the view may be!

The comment does made me to think a while as being an engineer as well developer by myself some where it does hurt me to acknowledge the bitter truth behind it. This is what I meant when I consider FB as a window to outer world. As now we have access to so many information as well data which wasn’t available earlier & that to on a click of mouse. Naturally we are bound to compare such things on every front, one way is let it go & another is think & try to implement it in our daily life. I always took later & that’s why I replied that post with my comment. But the subject kept on lingering in mind; really what has happened to creativity in our today's construction or say real estate industry?  Here I am deliberately saying real estate industry because it’s this segment which is responsible for major growth of the houses/buildings/ commercial premises in our country. Naturally the creativity factor will be applicable to this very industry first as it’s from here the new structures are being designed & built in our country or let’s consider our very city!

First look out what’s situation on this front around. No doubt things have been much improved in compare to early 80’s when the buildings were just a rectangular blocks with balconies & windows as necessity. Elevation wasn’t the main factor & that’s because a home was considered as basic need & nobody thought of adding any aesthetics to it. Also the bylaws governing the construction were such that there was hardly any space to accommodate the elevation needs. Slowly things started changing as more & more people started moving around the world courtesy higher education & IT industry. They came back with a demand for something different for the home other than providing a shelter. Sam was happening with the work places i.e. commercial buildings. People were getting aware about newer things in & look of the complex becomes as important as utility of the complex. At some places even replacing the utility, look used to get more important. Yet I won’t call it creative with due respect as creativity is not trying to design something different, its keeping things as simple it can be sticking to the very basic purpose of that thing. And to me a home has to be designed for the first to make the life of a person living in it comfortable! On this front we are still lagging a lot when it comes to design & built a creative home. Remember giving a club house or garden or high end amenities doesn’t mean a creative design of a complex. It has to be reflected in entire planning of the building right from outer look to interconnection of the houses within. It’s something one can feel by taking just one look at the structure. Still with change of building rules now the architect can accommodate many creative ideas & it’s heartening to see many are trying so. The outcome is occasionally now days we do come across a structure which is soothing to eyes as well serving the purpose.

Also when we say creative structures it’s not necessary that the term should be limited to residential or commercial buildings. It can be public building, bridges, museums, stadiums, temple even developing a traffic island or a garden i.e. anything. Important is it should reflect the creativity not harming the use of the structure rather making it easier with this touch of creativity, should be the criteria. Issue is in our country except commercial & residential buildings mostly rest all the development is carried by Govt/Semi Govt establishments where rarely the term creativity is considered while applying thoughts. They prefer to go by standard pattern of designs which are same from ages; for e.g. see the Govt Post offices or schools or administrative buildings. In western countries or developed countries even a small post office of fire station is designed with such a elegance that you admire the beauty of it forgetting the purpose for a while! Such sights make us wonder like my friend why in our country it’s no happening & that too when we have a heritage of so many such structures right from Kahjuraho temples to Taj Mahal to Pan Chakki at Aurangabad the list is endless! Our ancestors were way ahead on the front of creativity than we are today.

On a practical note I will like to mention that art & culture grow only when rulers allow such conditions in which they will grow! What we observe around is no one is interested in creating something good but to build either just to make money or survival! In such society you can’t expect creation but only money making products as that’s what most of the creators want as output! Look at the movies which make business & u will understand what I meant. Our creativity is being lost in fighting the system we are in! All we can think is FSI i.e. how much we can build on the said piece of land & sale more & more. Fault is in the system where the developer is the key & he is least bothered about the creative factor. An architect is the main thrust behind any project as any structure is his creation but fact is the architects are becoming victim of this vicious circle of Builder, FSI, Land & Salability! Result is, not necessary that a successful architect is a creative architect; rather a successful architect is the one who makes maximum salable area out of a plot. Same is with structural designers; the demand is for most economic designed structure making creativity taking back seat! Need is the developers should be aware of this factor & start respecting creativity in whatever he is developing. One should be proud of what one has built & smallest of the things should be created keeping this aspect in mind. Unfortunate the rulers either ignorant about this front or want it same way; as else there would have been special efforts to change this scene from them. We don’t try to encourage creativity in designing by making rules flexible to accommodate the creativity in design which will give liberty to the architects to make such structures.

Only hope is now in the form of common man as when its Industry or Govt, it delivers what’s in demand! So unless we don’t demand or respect creativity we are stuck to routine glass walls or sky scrapers, just trying to look different on the name of creativity!


Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

Envo-Power Committee, Credai, Pune

Please do visit my blog to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the link below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/

Social Side of Sanjeevani !(Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157628805700569/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

http://www.punecorporation.org/GRS/Complaint/LaunchComplaintCitizen.aspx

Think Green, Think Life

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VAT, Conveyance & the Society!

Society exists only as a mental concept; in the real world there are only individuals...Oscar Wilde.

Surely looking at the scenario on urban horizon the words from the wise man seems so true! Recently in all media where issue of VAT (VALUE ADDED TAX) on the flats is being discussed, one point repeatedly put forward by many NGO's as well Consumer Forum Activist, that ask the developer to fulfill the committed things he has agreed like Occupation certificate or fixing MSEB meters or to make the Conveyance of the property first & then pay the VAT amount! Here many would have got the impression that conveyance is something builder is reluctant to do all the time & everywhere. But let’s come to reality & except the fat that as the quote says in many places building is ready, possession is given with all formalities like occupation certificate but yet conveyance is not done as no one comes forward from flat holders.

We need to understand the concept of conveyance first as when you buy a flat in any building its just agreement of ownership of the flat & not the entire building including common spaces & land. A commence is an agreement by virtue of which the entire property gets on the name of group of flat holders making them owner of the whole premise. Here there can be two ways one is forming society or making apartment. I am no master of this & there are enough legal minds who can speak on the difference between at apartment or a society. For me when we are living together then how we behave is important than what we are called! Unfortunately most people get indulged in wrong direction that what any member don’t pay the monthly maintenance charges, then what is better at such times, society or apartment? As per my experience both are useless at such times as not paying maintain ace charges or any sharing of common expenditure is an attitude & no law can control it. There have been examples of non paying members in many buildings & the law suits are on for years. We have to decide what kind of group we are! No law can be made keeping in mind that what if somebody breaks it? Nothing is full proof when it’s stopping bad practices, it’s our individual approach to the problem only can solve it & not the laws.

The main issue is not about society or apartment but who will take the lead from residents side to form it & then to run it? As in present days nobody has time especially when it’s for society. With increasing expenses & reducing interest costs one time maintenance deposit isn’t viable & collecting monthly amounts is common at most places. Naturally the job is left to the Chairman or Secretary of the society or apartment condominium whatever it is. For the sake of this write up let’s call it as society. Most members are not willing to become office bearers or take lead in society day to day proceedings. Even to check the draft of conveyance takes more than 6 months is my personal experience with some complexes! As people have myths about being office bearers that they will have to do all the dirty work like collecting money or follow up with the fellow residents for the same, deal with various local governing bodies like PMC water supply or MSEB, be responsible for the tenants issue with Police & many such. Many a say take whatever maintenance amount you decide but don’t involve us in society workings! Then for larger complexes there are always allegations of partiality if there are work allotments for things like painting of the complex or drive way paving etc. All such things keep most of the people away from taking any lead in society workings.

Recently a small notification has been issued by the Govt which got missed by many but has an important impact on such mentality, that every office barer of the society within 45 days after making for the post they have to give an affidavit saying they will be responsible for any financial damage to the society by their act while working as office barer for the society. Now this affidavit will no longer required to be filled by the society’s office barer’s. This was one major hurdle which makes people wary about taking any such responsibility in society working. Then there is unnecessary fear factor of what if some members don’t pay? Well here the role of the developer too is important as right in the beginning if a meeting is conducted with all the occupants & a path is laid making them explain all ifs & buts then such situation don’t arise. Mostly if instead of monthly collection six monthly or yearly one time collection is made then it’s easier for office bearers too, to handle the daily routine of the society. Now days many are opting for the apartment deed than forming of society considering its easier & things like obtaining NOC of society for selling the flat etc are avoided in apartment. Again as I say even the apartment condominium can make all such rules which will be binding on all the residents so it doesn’t matter what we name the association of certain people but how responsible we are towards the association is .

Coming  back to appeal of the activist on paying issue of VAT by the flat holders, will like to point out one thing that if its written in the agreement of the flat holder that VAT will be beard by him then how can we say to the developer to enter in conveyance first & then pay the VAT amount. As after conveyance the ownership itself will get handed over to the flat holders which no developer is going to agree without getting paid for Vat amount. I am not commenting its right or wrong just pointing out the actual scene around. No doubt that the amount should be worked out as per the norms of Sales Tax Dept & there has to be transparency in the whole process then only one should pay the same. So no to pay the Vat until commence happens is the wrong message  sending to the common man & will invite legal battle; instead get an undertaking from developer for completing conveyance as well the pending things to be done & then under than affidavit pay the VAT amount.

Here again one thing I didn’t understand why the people don’t get unite & go to consumer forum if they have been deprived from the commitments by the developer? Why people move in without things like occupation certificate as well MSEB electric meter! Many will say it’s easy to say but the one who don’t have a home instead paying rent prefers to move in the home in whatever form its available! It’s exactly this mentality we need to fight out is what I feel. What if there hasn’t been Vat issue? Will we have not protested against such pending commitments from our developer? By connecting two things we are unnecessarily complicating the mater for even the developers who have clean track record. A wrong act is always a wrong act & any timing is right to fight it out! Understand this & come forward to take the responsibility in society/apartment formation as that’s for your own better living!
--
Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

Envo-Power Committee, Credai, Pune

Please do visit my blog to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the link below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/

Social Side of Sanjeevani !(Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157628805700569/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

http://www.punecorporation.org/GRS/Complaint/LaunchComplaintCitizen.aspx

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com