Architects suggest underground parking be built below existing infra

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s plan to construct parking lots under city parks continues to face stiff opposition

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s plan to construct parking lots under city parks continues to face stiff opposition. The Mumbai Architects Collective, a group of city-based professional architects and planners, have written to the civic chief and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal against this.

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Chahal in his budget speech had announced that there will be two new underground parking lots – Bandra West and Andheri West. The BMC has chosen Pushpa Narsee Park, located in Juhu, as their site in the Andheri West area. This proposal, however, has not gone well with the residents, who are furious to know that their park will have to be rebuilt on a concrete plot.

The architects’ collective has proposed that underground parking lots be built below existing infrastructure, such as buildings or roads, to minimise the need for further concretisation and reduce the impact on natural ecosystems. “Such a policy would help to reduce the heat island effect, lower pollution levels, and improve the overall quality of life in Mumbai.”

In their letter to Chahal, the collective has suggested a policy that prioritises the maintenance of natural ecosystems when it comes to creating and maintaining green spaces.

“We believe this will better serve the community and the environment. Parks, gardens, maidans and other open spaces are an essential part of urban life, providing much-needed respite from the city’s noise and pollution. However, it is important to ensure that these spaces are created and maintained on earth, taking into account factors such as groundwater recharge, flood basins, catchment areas, natural ecosystems, biodiversity and the health of tree roots. By doing so, we can create sustainable green spaces that benefit both the environment and the community,” the architects opined.

The architects gave an example of the entire Metro 3 project in the city being built underground, with the Cuffe Parade station having an underground parking lot.

“This approach has helped to preserve natural spaces, such as Colaba Woods, which remain untouched,” they said.

The letter also stated that given Mumbai’s alarming shortage of open space (only 1.1 sqm/person) and poor Air Quality Index, this only seems logical. “We strongly believe that this would significantly improve the quality of life for the residents of the city,” the architects stated.