Anyone who loves the city of Mumbai retains a special affection for Marine Drive. The Queen’s necklace – which has lost some of its charm with the disappearance of the yellow sulphur lights – still delights all those who drive on it, walk on the boulevard and of course live in one of those apartments with a sea facing view. The magnificent Art Deco stretch is the largest in the world and, if the residents have their way, could become a UN heritage site.
Not surprisingly therefore, the residents association is very particular about changes to Marine Drive and it is largely through the efforts of activists – and not a few officials – that Marine Drive has more or less remained in its original state. Old timers will complain about a lot of things – the sheer number of cars for one thing – but that is not in anyone’s hands. The glorious three mile seaface remains more or less intact over eight decades later and the road still serves the city well.
OLD time restrictions on height of buildings are sought to be demolished. This perhaps fits in with the dream of making Mumbai into a Singapore or a Shanghai, with none of the attendant infrastructural improvements or indeed creation of affordable housing for the millions of people who live in slums and on the pavements.
In such circumstances, the effort should be not just to preserve it but also to strengthen it—improving the roads, financing the maintenance of the buildings, a few of which look very frayed and imposing strict zoning laws so that changes are few and far between. At least two buildings, both hotels, on the sea front have been demolished and rebuilt—one is Marine Plaza, which was Hotel Bombay International and the Intercontinental, which was Natraj. Fortunately, the restrictions of height that were imposed on them ensured that the look of the promenade was not spoilt.
But while we, the ordinary citizens of Mumbai may love Marine Drive, builders are casting a covetous eye at it. And the Municipal Corporation, which ought to be on the side of the city, seems to be in agreement with the builders.
BMC Chief Ajoy Mehta has recommended that the height of the buildings on Marine Drive be up to 32 metres on the sea front and a whopping 58 metres behind it. Compare this to the limit of 21 metres for the present buildings and you will immediately understand the implications. At 58 metres, the buildings could have 17 floors, completely ruining Marine Drive.
Clearly, this move is to unleash redevelopment in this most well preserved of neighbourhoods and once and for all ruin the precinct which is the pride of the city. One simply cannot fathom Mehta’s move given that no less than six heritage committees have in the past dismissed any such move and a whole roster of eminent citizens, including former municipal commissioners and judges are against the move.
One such building, Vasant Sagar, on A Road went in for redevelopment some years ago and tried to go beyond the restricted height; it is now stuck in a legal case and the unbuilt structure is an eyesore in the area. If all buildings are made taller, (with little or no control over look and architectural style), it will damage the famous skyline once and for all.
For those who are asking why the commissioner has moved this suggestion, the answer is obvious. Mumbai is at present in the throes of unprecedented development. Every open area is being exploited, and new areas are being created. Old regulations are being discarded. The corporation is eyeing salt pan lands to build low cost housing, while at the same time planning to reclaim no less than 300 acres in the sea off Cuffe Parade, ostensibly for a public park, despite the low density of the population in the area. Naturally there will be proposals to build luxury towers there. The same applies to the docklands in the eastern corridor, where 1800 acres are potentially available to build leisure and residential complexes on.
Old time restrictions on height of buildings therefore are sought to be demolished even as the new DP plans to raise the FSI available on structures to 5. This perhaps fits in with the dream of making Mumbai into a Singapore or a Shanghai, with none of the attendant infrastructural improvements or indeed creation of affordable housing for the millions of people who live in slums and on the pavements.
While this may create a glittering skyline (and bring immense profits to a handful of builders), what will it do to the city and its citizens, especially the poor and middle class? The roads are not getting any wider, the water situation is not getting any better. As for the garbage and the flooding we see every monsoon, less said the better. Why not devote energy and resources to those issues rather than tamper with the few beautiful things Mumbai still boasts of? The corporation – this includes the officials and the corporators – must take note of this and give up their foolhardy plan to tamper with the jewel of this city, Marine Drive. This is something every citizen must oppose tooth and nail.
