The Maharashtra Housing Real Estate Authority (MahaRERA) has issued model guidelines after the central government announced a housing policy for retirees and senior citizens. Now the state government has taken initiative in this regard and issued a draft policy for senior citizens. Developers implementing senior housing schemes have been offered concessions in sq ft area.
The Union Housing Ministry has already issued model guidelines in this regard. MahaRERA has implemented provisions considering all aspects related to buildings according to the needs of senior citizens. The draft mentions building concept, green building, exits and ramps, stair design, walkway connecting multiple flats, lighting scheme and ventilation and safety to keep air flowing. The state government has now decided to bring a policy for senior citizens along these lines. For this, the deadline for objections and suggestions has been given as September 21. After that this policy will be finalised.
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Now it has been made mandatory for the developers to implement housing projects for senior citizens in separate or mixed form. For this, the government has also offered concessions to the developers.
In the housing project for senior citizens, 2.5 square metres will be considered as basic square footage. Even in the green belt, if the housing project for the senior citizens is set up, one sq ft area will be available. Ten percent of the sq ft area will be available for commercial use or Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) in return for unusable sq ft area. Development fee rebate as well as goods and services tax will be only one per cent. In order to implement the project for senior citizens as an independent building, a plot of 3000 square metres is required and 35 percent of the plot is required to be used for this purpose.
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A window scheme will be made available for the approval of these projects and a monitoring committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary, Housing Department. Such projects will be monitored by this committee. Apart from this, senior citizen grievance redressal centres will also be established at the district level.
Apart from this, the provisions mentioned in this draft along with the regulations issued by MahaRERA are as follows:
The draft is available on the Housing Department's website under the heading 'Housing Policy for Senior Citizens' and objections and suggestions are requested to be sent to housing.gnd-1@mah.gov.in by September 21.