Mumbai: Warning that Mumbai’s public and ecological assets are increasingly being treated as resources for development and infrastructure projects, the Mumbai Architects Collective (MAC) has urged the State Government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to adopt a long-term vision to protect the city’s open spaces and natural ecosystems.
Concern Over Development Proposals
In a statement signed by 127 architects and planners and addressed to the Chief Minister and Municipal Commissioner, the collective said proposals concerning playgrounds, parks, BEST bus depots, Coastal Road open spaces, former dairy lands, mangroves, salt pans and other public land should be assessed for their cumulative impact on the city’s public realm.
The MAC, a voluntary collective of architects, urban designers, planners, landscape architects and allied professionals, cited proposals to convert playgrounds into convention centres, construct underground parking beneath parks, redevelop BEST depots with commercial components and monetise portions of Coastal Road open spaces.
Open Spaces Essential For Climate Resilience
The collective said it was not opposed to development, acknowledging Mumbai’s need for better housing, transport, infrastructure and economic growth. However, it said development should strengthen the city without diminishing the public assets that make it liveable.
“Public land is a public asset,” the architects said, stressing that the government has a responsibility to act as a trustee of the city’s common assets for present and future generations.
Call For Holistic Planning
The MAC highlighted Mumbai’s severe shortage of public open space, stating that the city has just 1.58 square metres of public open space per person, compared with 31.68 square metres in London and 26.4 square metres in New York.
It said parks, playgrounds, wetlands and mangroves should be treated as essential public infrastructure rather than vacant land awaiting construction. Such spaces help absorb stormwater, recharge groundwater, reduce flooding, improve air quality, moderate temperatures and support biodiversity.
Architect Vikas Dilawari, one of the signatories, said open spaces required a holistic approach.
“It has been a concern for environmentalists and planners for a long time. Lately, decisions have been taken that are not good for the city. As professionals, it is our duty to flag such issues and offer solutions,” he said.
The architects also called for integrated water management, warning that replacing permeable landscapes with buildings and paved surfaces was reducing the city’s ability to absorb rainfall and increasing flood risks.
They demanded that higher redevelopment densities be accompanied by additional public open spaces, civic amenities, schools, healthcare, mobility infrastructure, tree cover and water infrastructure.
The collective also urged the BMC to publish an annual ward-wise report on public infrastructure, including parks, open spaces, footpaths and civic amenities, to improve transparency and accountability.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in
