In a major relief for over 2.3 lakh slum dwellers in Nagpur, the Maharashtra government has revised the slum rehabilitation policy, slashing the lease allotment timeline from 180 days to just 60. The move is expected to fast-track redevelopment in 430 slum settlements across the city.
The amended Slum Rehabilitation Bill now allows lease processing and redevelopment not just on government land, but also on private plots, Nazul land, and forest buffer (zudpi jungle) areas. This change brings long-awaited legal recognition to informal settlements in localities like Ajni, Gittikhadan, Narendra Nagar, and Nandanvan.
Central Nagpur MLA Pravin Datke welcomed the reform but emphasized the need for city-specific planning. “Land rates in Nagpur — ranging between ₹800 to ₹1,100 per sq.ft — make slum redevelopment commercially unviable under Mumbai-style rules. We need tailored policies for cities like ours,” he said in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Datke also called for a dedicated cluster redevelopment policy for Vidarbha cities and cited the Bangladesh Naik Talao case in East Nagpur as a success model. In that project, slum dwellers on private land received leases with just ₹1,000 stamp duty and relaxed income tax conditions.
With over 300 slums on government-owned land, the new 60-day deadline adds urgency. However, Datke cautioned that unless agencies like NMC, NIT, and NMRDA coordinate effectively, the policy’s objectives will remain out of reach.
The reform is seen as a step toward inclusive urban development and secure housing for the urban poor
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