Nashik civic body puts housing projects on hold

The town planning department of the Nashik Municipal Corporation has put on hold more than 100 residential projects as it is awaiting detailed guidelines from the state government on the resolution that 20% should be reserved for weaker sections in housing projects that are coming up in 2,000 sq mt area.

The government had issued a resolution on January 18 but it did not specify any details which has created confusion among officials, builders and developers.

"As we have not received the guidelines from the state government, we have kept on hold all the proposals for approval of residential building plans. Not a single plan has been approved since January 18. Around 100 residential building plan proposals have been submitted," an NMC official told TOI.

According to Kiran Chavan, President, Nashik unit of Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (Credai), the way government has introduced the resolution, it cannot be successful. But the construction activities have come down in Nashik as the approval to the new building plans out on hold. This can created shortage of the houses in the city.

Echoing Credai, Sujoy Gupta, Chairman, Samrat Group, said, "The state government only issued a GR but it did not give clear cut direction regarding it. As a result, not a single building plan has been approved in Nashik since January 18 and builders, who had bought land for the projects and waiting for approval, are in trouble. This has also led to shortage of houses in the city."