In short: DCPR 2034 (the Development Control and Promotion Regulations for Greater Mumbai, 2034) is the rulebook that decides what can be built where in Mumbai. For redevelopment, the most important part is Regulation 33, whose sub-clauses each apply to a different type of building: MHADA colonies, cessed buildings, tenanted buildings, housing societies, clusters, slums and structures affected by road widening. Knowing which clause applies to your plot is the first step in judging any redevelopment offer.
If you own land in Mumbai, sit on a housing society committee or are evaluating a redevelopment proposal, you have almost certainly heard regulation numbers like 33(7) or 33(9) used with little explanation. This guide walks through the sections that matter most, in plain language, so you know what you are looking at the next time a developer or consultant cites one.
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Which DCPR 2034 regulation applies to your building?
| Regulation | Applies to | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 33(5) | Old MHADA buildings on MHADA layouts | Higher FSI so residents can be rehoused in larger flats |
| 33(7) | Cessed buildings in the Island City | Incentive FSI for rehousing tenants free of cost |
| 33(7)(A) | Dilapidated, authorised tenanted buildings, mainly in the suburbs | Rehabilitation area plus incentive for landlords |
| 33(7)(B) | Existing housing society buildings | Additional area for existing members, without premium |
| 33(9) | Groups of adjoining old buildings | Cluster redevelopment with higher FSI and better planning |
| 33(10) | Slums | Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes |
| 33(12)(B) | Structures on road-widening lines | Rehousing on a host plot with additional FSI |
What DCPR 2034 is, and why it exists
DCPR 2034 was sanctioned under Section 31(1) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966, and came into effect in 2018, replacing the Development Control Regulations of 1991. It sets out the rules for land use, building height, Floor Space Index (FSI), setbacks and parking, and, critically for Mumbai, the specific routes through which old, dilapidated, cessed and slum-occupied buildings can be redeveloped.
The 1991 regulations were written for a city that still had land to develop. By 2018, very little greenfield land remained within the BMC’s limits. DCPR 2034 was drafted around that reality: since the city cannot grow outward, it has to grow by rebuilding what is already there.
Regulation 33: the heart of Mumbai’s redevelopment framework
Almost every redevelopment project in Mumbai falls under one of the sub-clauses of Regulation 33. Each applies to a different category of building or land, and the FSI and incentives differ significantly between them. Getting the classification right is one of the first and most consequential steps in any redevelopment, and it is a core part of a proper feasibility report.
Regulation 33(5): MHADA layout redevelopment
This clause governs the redevelopment of old buildings constructed by MHADA on its own layouts, typically colonies built decades ago across the suburbs. It allows significantly higher FSI than base zoning would permit, generally around 4.0 on qualifying MHADA layout plots, which makes these projects viable even after rehousing residents in larger flats at no cost to them. Read more in MHADA colony redevelopment explained.
Regulation 33(7): cessed buildings in the Island City
Cessed buildings are old structures in the Island City, built before 30 September 1969, on which MHADA’s repair cess is levied. Regulation 33(7) allows these buildings to be redeveloped, typically permitting an FSI of around 3.0 on the plot, or the FSI needed to rehouse existing occupants plus an incentive on top, whichever is higher. Each eligible residential tenant is entitled to at least 27.88 sq. m (300 sq. ft) carpet area. See what is a cessed building and our 33(7) guide for landlords and tenants.
Regulation 33(7)(A): tenanted buildings outside the cessed scheme
This covers dilapidated or unsafe, authorised, tenant-occupied buildings in the suburbs, and authorised non-cessed tenanted buildings in the city. It allows the area needed to rehouse all lawful tenants, plus an incentive of around 50% of that rehabilitation area, so that landlords can afford to redevelop old tenanted buildings that the cessed scheme does not reach. Read pagdi buildings in the suburbs.
Regulation 33(7)(B): existing housing societies
This applies to existing residential housing society buildings, other than those covered by 33(7) and 33(7)(A). Where members are rehoused on the same plot, it allows additional built-up area for existing members, commonly 15% of the existing built-up area or 10 square metres per tenement, whichever is more, without premium. Because these figures come from summaries of the regulation, confirm them against the current DCPR text for any live project. See after how many years a building goes for redevelopment.
Regulation 33(9): cluster redevelopment
Rather than redeveloping one building at a time, cluster redevelopment groups several adjoining cessed or dilapidated properties, above a minimum plot size, into a single larger scheme. A bigger, consolidated plot allows better planning, more open space, proper amenities and higher permissible FSI than the same buildings could achieve individually. MHADA’s Kamathipura cluster redevelopment in South Mumbai is a large-scale example. For individual societies, a cluster can mean a better outcome, but it also means coordinating with neighbours. Read small plot, narrow lane: how cluster redevelopment can help.
Regulation 33(10): slum rehabilitation
This provision underpins the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme, which allows developers to rehouse eligible slum dwellers in free, self-contained flats of at least 300 sq. ft, while earning the right to build and sell additional area. SRA projects carry some of the highest permissible FSI in the DCPR, reflecting the scale and complexity of rehabilitation. Read SRA projects explained.
Regulation 33(12)(B): structures on road-widening lines
This clause deals with structures standing on the alignment of an existing or proposed road that must be removed and their occupants rehoused in the same ward. A host plot that accommodates them can exceed its normal FSI, up to a combined 4.00 on the net plot area. Read the full explanation in what is 33(12)(B), and if your own plot is affected by a road line, see how road widening compensation works.
FSI linked to road width
One of the more consequential changes in DCPR 2034 is that permissible FSI is tied to the width of the road a plot fronts onto. Earlier rules allowed tall towers on narrow lanes, which created serious congestion. Under DCPR 2034, a plot on a wider road generally qualifies for higher FSI than an identical plot on a narrow one, and commercial development gets the higher FSI slab only where the abutting road is at least 12 metres wide. This is worth checking early, because it can materially affect what can actually be built, however generous the redevelopment clause looks on paper.
Fungible FSI and premium FSI
Beyond the base FSI under a Regulation 33 clause, DCPR 2034 allows developers to obtain additional fungible FSI by paying a premium to the BMC, calculated as a percentage of the Annual Schedule of Rates (ASR). Fungible FSI is commonly used to increase saleable area, and it is one reason the economics of two similar-looking plots can differ significantly. Premium FSI works on a similar principle for commercial development on roads wider than 12 metres.
Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)
TDR lets a landowner who surrenders land for a public purpose, such as a road, garden or reservation, receive development rights as a certificate. These can be used on another eligible plot or sold to a developer who needs more building capacity. Loading TDR onto a plot is generally subject to conditions such as minimum road width. In a redevelopment project, TDR is often the final lever that brings saleable area to a level where the numbers work for both the society and the developer. Our guide to FSI and TDR explains this in detail.
Why the details matter for societies and landowners
When a developer presents an offer to a society, with a certain carpet area per member, a corpus amount and a timeline, that offer is built on a specific regulation clause, a specific FSI calculation and specific assumptions about fungible FSI and TDR. Two developers proposing very different terms for the same plot are often making different assumptions about how much additional FSI they will use, and at what cost.
Knowing which clause applies to your building, what FSI it entitles you to and how fungible FSI and TDR can reasonably add to it gives a society or landowner a real basis for judging whether an offer is fair. It also makes it far easier to compare developer offers and to understand how corpus is calculated.
A framework that keeps evolving
DCPR 2034 is not static. Provisions such as 33(5) and 33(7) have been amended more than once since 2018, and new provisions are introduced from time to time. Anyone relying on a DCPR clause for a live project should confirm the current, amended text rather than assuming older summaries still hold, since even small changes to FSI percentages, premium rates or conditions can shift a project’s numbers. Societies should also follow the procedure in the Maharashtra redevelopment GR of 30 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is DCPR 2034?
The Development Control and Promotion Regulations for Greater Mumbai, in force since 2018. They set the rules for land use, FSI, height, setbacks, parking and redevelopment across the BMC area.
Which DCPR regulation applies to a housing society?
Most existing housing society buildings are redeveloped under 33(7)(B), but a society on a MHADA layout may fall under 33(5), and a society that joins neighbouring plots may use 33(9). The correct clause depends on the plot’s land ownership, location and history.
Does DCPR 2034 apply outside Mumbai?
No. DCPR 2034 applies within Greater Mumbai. Most other areas of Maharashtra follow the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR).
What is the difference between FSI and TDR?
FSI is the ratio of permissible built-up area to plot area. TDR is a tradeable right to build additional area, generated when land is surrendered for public use elsewhere, and loaded onto a receiving plot within the limits allowed.
Find out what applies to your plot
Mungekar Realty works out which DCPR regulation applies to a building or plot, and what it should realistically mean for the terms on the table. To discuss yours, register your property or call or WhatsApp us on +91 98207 44734.
This article is general information based on DCPR 2034 as amended. Regulations change from time to time; confirm the current text for any specific project. It is not legal advice.