The proposed Metro station near Nanavati Hospital, part of a typically high-traffic-density route, has been chosen for a pilot study on the implications of granting additional built-up rights on land along the Metro routes.

The existing FSI in suburbs is 1 in a 500-m radius of a station. The government plans to raise it to a maximum of 4 up to a radius of 200m, known as the circle of influence, and to a maximum of 2 in the 200-500 m range.

The Mumbai Transformation Support Unit (MTSU) is carrying out the survey for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The purpose of the study is to create a holistic development plan in the circle of influence along each station. The station near Nanavati Hospital is one of 27 along the 32-km second corridor, Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd, of the 146-km Metro route.

The MMRDA estimates the state and central governments will have to contribute about Rs 4500 crore as viability gap funding for the developer. It hopes to reduce this through the revenue that will flow in after increasing the FSI. Charges collected from developers who accept the offer will go into a dedicated fund for infrastructure projects.

MTSU project director U P S Madan said many factors will affect the revenue generated by the increased FSI. “These include the restricted development along the airport funnel, absence of development zones, water bodies, slums, private land, and recently developed buildings that won’t be taken up for redevelopment for a very long time. The study will take into account all these factors,” said Madan.

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