Mumbai: The main purpose of reclaiming the sea in the coastal road project was to construct the road, not to create open spaces. This is what BMC’s chief engineer for the Mumbai coastal road project informed in a detailed reply issued to Bandra-based architect Alan Abraham last month.
The architect had raised concerns regarding open spaces along the coastal road on the reclaimed land. In the wake of this, Bombay high court had in August directed the architect to make a representation to the municipal commissioner. The architect had demanded that these open spaces be made accessible 24×7, be universally accessible, and integrate with all the new parks. “It is crucial to ensure that these reclaimed lands benefit the public and enhance the city’s ecological and social fabric,” he had said. Besides, the architect had pointed out that as works on the Mumbai road construction near completion, the development of open spaces and the promenade were pending.
In its reply issued last month, BMC has reiterated that while the promenade of the coastal road will have 24×7 access, the parks will be gated and open until 8 pm.
The civic body’s reply also states that the 1,857 car parking spaces being built along the road are underground and covered with greenery.
Responding to BMC’s reply, the architect said: “It’s clear that what they write or promise, and what they actually do are quite different. Unfortunately, there is no accountability for public land or expenditure,” he pointed out.
It was a day earlier BMC published an expression of interest, inviting parties to develop and maintain landscaping, gardens, and the promenade along the coastal road — from Marine Drive right up to Worli.
The architect had filed a public interest litigation in Bombay high court in 2023, seeking changes to the proposed design on the land-filled portion of the coastal road to create more accessible open spaces. In an order passed on August 1, 2024, the court said that having regard to the concerns expressed by the petitioner in respect of the open spaces, he would make a representation to the municipal commissioner within a fortnight.
According to BMC officials, the city has a lot to gain from this coastal road project as it is ensuring connectivity and providing an additional 70 hectares of open green space along the coastline.