Mumbai: The Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked the departments of urban development and environment to coordinate with the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) for the development of Mumbai’s eastern waterfront on a fast track basis. He insisted that the development should be done without harming the environment.
The MbPT, which has a special planning authority, has submitted the report to the state government for its approval. Thackeray at the meeting with the senior government officers, the acting chairman of MbPT Sanjeev Sethi and former chairman Sanjay Bhatia directed the concerned departments to soon pursue necessary approvals at the state government and at the Centre. Thereafter, the government will give its sanction.
Senior Officer, who was present at the meeting, told Free Press Journal, ‘’The Chief Minister desires the implementation of eastern waterfront to be done in a time-bound manner. He also wanted that the decisions be made on a priority basis on the formation of a committee or an expert group to push the development.’’
The city’s eastern waterfront is proposed on the 966.3 hectare and the plan envisages the transformation of the waterfront into sea transport and tourism hub. Of around 500 ha, 253 ha will be redeveloped.
Of these 253 ha, as much as 193 ha will be for gardens, open spaces, roads and recreational areas, and on the balance 60 ha, the plan is to develop a Hi-Tech City modelled on Manhattan with a potential of generating employment of 3.4 lakh people.
Further, there will be an arcade along the lines of Connaught Place in Delhi through which one can walk, where up to four floors will be for commercial purposes. Above that, it will be 50 per cent for residential and 50 per cent for commercial use.
