Mumbai: Powai Residents Oppose Proposed 30,000-Seat Global Capability Centre, Warn Of Traffic And Ecological Crisis

Mumbai, June 18: A backlash has erupted in Powai against the proposed 30,000-seat Global Capability Centre (GCC), with residents, housing societies and citizen groups warning the Maharashtra government that the project could push the already choking suburb into a full-blown infrastructure and ecological crisis.

In a detailed representation to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Powai Area Locality Management (ALM) and 15 cooperative housing societies described the proposed campus as a "public and ecological disaster in the making", arguing that the location is wholly unsuitable for a project of such scale.

The representation termed the project "a mass casualty event waiting to happen", citing inadequate road infrastructure, severe congestion and the absence of viable emergency evacuation routes.

The proposed two-million-square-foot campus is planned within the dense residential belt of Powai and Chandivali, an area originally developed under the Powai Area Development Scheme as a residential township.

Residents flag worsening traffic and infrastructure strain

Residents argue that the narrow two-lane internal roads, already overwhelmed by daily congestion, cannot absorb the massive influx of employees, private vehicles, buses, cabs and support traffic the project would generate.

The Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), the only major arterial route serving Powai, is already operating beyond capacity. Peak-hour commutes from the Western Express Highway to Powai routinely stretch close to an hour, while traffic within Hiranandani Gardens has become increasingly unmanageable, the representation said.

Residents estimate that the GCC would generate an additional 20,000 to 25,000 vehicle trips every day, pushing the Powai-Chandivali corridor into permanent gridlock.

Citizen groups warn of broader environmental impact

"Powai's roads are already stretched far beyond their intended capacity. Residents routinely spend 30 to 45 minutes navigating distances that should take less than 10 minutes during peak hours," said Pamela Cheema, chairperson of the Powai ALM.

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"Adding a 30,000-employee campus to this already overburdened ecosystem would turn daily commuting into a nightmare and severely compromise pedestrian safety and emergency response times. This is no longer just a question of inconvenience or longer commute times. Powai is staring at a full-blown infrastructure and environmental crisis," said Milan Bhat, a member of the Powai ALM.

Supporting the residents' concerns, NatConnect Foundation warned that the proposed project could spell the death knell for Powai's fragile ecosystem.

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