The Maharashtra government has approved the cluster development policy for the redevelopment of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) properties in Pune city. Pune has a sum of 40,000 Mhada flats which are old and in need of redevelopment. Recently, the Maharashtra government allowed three Floor Space Index (FSI) for the MHADA properties in Pune that was earlier at 2.5 FSI. Despite providing 2.5 FSI, developers are not stepping forward in Pune for the redevelopment. On Tuesday, Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar called a meeting with the urban development and housing department to discuss the Pune city MHADA properties redevelopment matter. Siddharth Dhende, who was present for the meeting, said that many MHADA properties are not getting redeveloped due to several problems. For example, the Maharashtra Housing Society near Nagpur chawl is close to the airport and the prison where high rise is not possible. If the developers are permitted to do cluster development of several MHADA plots, they can use the remaining FSI on other plots. The urban development department and a MHADA Minister, Jitendra Avhad, both allowed it and asked Pune MHADA to submit the proposal for the same. Pune city has several MHADA buildings which were constructed in 1965 and are now in a bad state. The residents are asking for redevelopment but due to several issues, the work cannot be restarted. Ajit Pawar also accepted that the situation in Mumbai and Pune is different, and Pune would require different rules. Dhende said that many approach roads to MHADA buildings are either six or nine metres wide. It is drawing in restrictions for high rise buildings. Many facilities such as a garden, playground, water tank were developed in the MHADA societies and they are coming in between several plots. By considering this, it has been urged to get a site margin discount like SRA for MHADA buildings. MHADA buildings located at the following places in the city - Swami Vivekanand Nagar (Hadapsar), Lokmanya Nagar (Sadashiv Peth), Hingne Mala (Hadapsar), Bhamburda (Gokhale Nagar), Laxmi Nagar (Parvati), Agarkar Nagar (Band Garden road), Wadgaonsheri, Phulenagar, Maharashtra Housing Board Yerwada, Kothrud, Netaji Nagar (Wanwadi), Mharshingar, Golf Club Road, Bavdhan. Image Source Also read: MHADA to develop long-delayed project in Mumbai’s Goregaon Also read: Maharashtra town planning body puts 182 Navi Mumbai plots on block