The Mamata Banerjee government on Tuesday removed the restriction on the maximum height of buildings on thika tenancy land and made thika tenants eligible for long-term lease of the land.

The change has been brought about through an amendment to the West Bengal Thika Tenancy (Acquisition and Regulation) Act passed in the Assembly on Tuesday in an apparent effort to make the city slum-free.

The West Bengal Thika Tenancy (Acquisition and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, would now make thika tenants eligible to secure bank loans to develop five-storey (G+4) buildings on the thika plots.

The Telegraph had on March 8 reported that the policy had been approved by the state cabinet, clearing the decks for construction of multi-storeyed buildings on thika tenancy land.

The state government has also ensured that the sub-tenants of the thika plots are not deprived while the land is developed by the thika tenant.

“We want to make it clear that no private builder will be allowed to develop the dwelling units on thika land… Either the thika tenant has to develop the land with bank loans or the government will construct dwelling units for the thika tenants and their sub- tenants under different housing schemes of the government,” said Firhad Hakim, the state urban development and municipal affairs minister.

The decision, sources said, could change the skyline of Calcutta as there are about 2,000 acres of thika tenancy land spread across the city. Besides Calcutta, there are about 517 acres of thika tenancy land in Howrah.

“Some of the major slums in Calcutta are located in prime areas such as Burrabazar, Sovabazar, Chetla and Kalighat. The areas have remained unchanged over the years because of the restrictions. But now these areas can be developed and cleaned up, improving the look of the city,” an official said.

Minister Hakim pointed out that the government would take care to ensure that none of the thika tenants or their sub- tenants is affected by the amendment.

“Only the tenants will be able to develop the plots…. If they fail, the government will intervene and develop dwelling units under various housing schemes. But no private player will be allowed to play any kind of role in thika tenancy land,” he said.

Sources in the urban development said the government was eyeing to give a new look to the slums of the city by constructing G+4 buildings on thika tenancy plots.

Some officials felt the government should have considered entry of private players to develop the slums.