Mumbai Metropolitan Region gets a concept plan

Twenty years from now, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) will need 4.35 million housing units, and consume 15,372 million litres (more than four times the current requirement) of water every day in order to meet the demands of its growing population. The only way the government can decongest the city and improve the quality of life for its citizens is to develop planned urban conglomerates in Vasai-Virar, Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai Panvel and Pen, increase FSI, and reclaim land. These were just some of the many findings of a concept plan for MMR, presented in a seminar at the Sahyadri guest house on Friday. It was prepared by a Singapore-based consultant for the state government and Bombay First—a development advisory body. By 2032, Mumbai will need six business hubs like Nariman Point and Bandra Kurla Complex. The state has to double the existing road and train network. Some of the major road and rail corridors proposed in the plan included the Alibaug-Virar corridor, a coastal road around the island of Mumbai, two trans-harbour links, and a creek bridge between Kanjurmarg and Koparkhairane. The study projected that property prices in Navi Mumbai and Thane will rise faster than other parts of the MMR, with the exception of South Mumbai. To maximize available, the concept plan suggested that the government increase FSI to 15 in key business hubs. Reclamation of land was also a priority. But Djoko Prihanto of the Singapore company Surbana Urban Planning Group, stressed on the need for infrastructure to keep up with the high FSI in business areas. Mumbai’s population density—which is 40,000 people per sq km—has to be brought down to 23,000 people. To meet this target, the government will require an additional 1,300 sq km of land by 2032. Similarly, the study showed that the average living space per person should increase to at least 86 sq ft from the current average of 43- 64sq ft. The study suggested that congestion tax be introduced to tackle the problem of vehicular pollution. If no adequate measures are taken, air and water pollution levels will rise from 4.6% to 12.5% by 2052. The plan also called for setting up of wind and tidal power generation plants, developing a reservoir in Thane creek, and constructing a water storage barrage at Mahim bay. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Increase FSI in the island city to 5.

In Navi Mumbai and Uran FSI should be 3 and in Kalyan, Panvel Vasai and Virar FSI should be 2

Introduce four to five major coastal or trans-harbour roads and rail corridors

Create a parking policy, ban road-side parking and make restrict movement of cars in highly congested areas.

Introduce congestion tax for car owners, whereby motorists will have to pay to enter central business districts like BKC, Nariman Point, etc

Create artificial islands in the eastern water front as mini-cities

Develop ferry services on eastern and western water fronts

Create more green lungs and parks