India, July 9 -- The Maharashtra government is considering extending eligibility for slum rehabilitation projects to first-floor residents of chawls. Currently, only ground-floor or structures up to 14 feet are considered legal, which has stalled or made many projects unviable. The proposed change would allow first-floor residents to participate, but this eligibility would apply exclusively to chawls, not slums.

According to media reports, the Maharashtra Housing Department is expected to send a proposal to the Cabinet in the coming days recommending that first-floor residents of chawls be included in the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme.

Slum rehabilitation schemes in Maharashtra were introduced in 1997. Under these schemes, ...