Funnel Fix

For years, residents of Mumbai’s Santacruz, Vile Parle and Kurla areas have watched their buildings crumble, caught in the bureaucratic limbo of airport funnel zone restrictions. The redevelopment of these ageing structures, shackled by rigid height limitations, has long remained an unfulfilled promise. Now, in a move timed with an eye on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election, the Mahayuti government has announced amendments to the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034. It has pledged to ease the redevelopment bottleneck by allowing transferable development rights (TDR) to owners who cannot fully utilise their floor space index (FSI). This is a long-overdue step in the right direction.

The so-called funnel zone, comprising the airspace around an airport’s runways and approach paths, imposes strict height regulations to ensure flight safety. This has made redevelopment in key Mumbai suburbs an intractable issue, with many buildings deteriorating beyond repair. For years, residents and housing associations have petitioned the government for a resolution, only to be met with delays and half-measures. The current amendment, which allows owners to monetise their unused development potential through TDR, is aimed at breaking this deadlock. However, whether this will translate into real change depends on swift implementation and the government’s ability to cut through the labyrinthine approval processes that often stymie infrastructure projects.

The upcoming civic polls have turned Mumbai’s redevelopment policies into a political battleground. The city’s infrastructure is a major voter concern. But the real test lies in whether the government can translate policy changes into tangible redevelopment projects, rather than using them as mere talking points on the campaign trail.

There are still unresolved questions. How will the government regulate the allocation of TDR to ensure that it benefits homeowners rather than becoming a windfall for developers? Will the amendment genuinely expedite redevelopment, or will it become mired in bureaucratic red tape? And what safeguards are in place to ensure that infrastructure - roads, drainage and public utilities—keeps pace with the increased vertical expansion of these areas?

Mumbai’s history is littered with well-intentioned redevelopment policies that have failed due to poor execution. The cluster redevelopment scheme for dilapidated buildings in South Mumbai, for instance, remains bogged down by unrealistic eligibility criteria and sluggish approvals. The funnel zone amendment must not suffer a similar fate.

These announcements represent a tacit admission that Mumbai’s urban planning framework remains archaic, driven more by ad-hoc amendments than a coherent long-term strategy. The city’s housing shortage is acute and restrictive zoning regulations have only exacerbated the problem. The funnel zone issue should have been addressed years ago, yet it has taken electoral considerations for the government to act. After years of delay, Mumbai’s residents deserve action. The Mahayuti must now walk the talk.