Bandra Reclamation promenade to be partially out of bounds as waterfront gets recreation makeover

MUMBAI: Parts of the Bandra Reclamation promenade are set to be out of bounds for the public as the 1

MUMBAI: Parts of the Bandra Reclamation promenade are set to be out of bounds for the public as the 1.5-km waterfront undergoes a major landscape makeover aimed at creating new recreational and community spaces.

Godrej Properties and RC Group have tied up with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and secured the rights to redo the promenade’s landscape. The two developers are jointly redeveloping Nargis Dutt Nagar, which faces the promenade.

The waterfront makeover will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will comprise three key elements — a bayside walking track, a garden with lawns and a lifestyle hub featuring a pet park, literature zone and amphitheatre.

The second phase will introduce a mini golf course as well as a dedicated activity and sports zone.

Vishwas Mote, deputy municipal commissioner (Zone III), MCGM, said the project was aimed at making the waterfront more vibrant and usable while fitting into the larger vision for the Bandra Bay promenade.

“Bandra’s waterfront is among Mumbai’s finest natural assets and our endeavour is to make it more vibrant and usable for citizens, in keeping with the larger Bandra Bay promenade vision. The development at Bandra Reclamation will give the entire neighbourhood spaces where people can walk, spend time with their families and engage with their communities,” he said.

Rohit Mohan, chief design and sustainability officer, Godrej Properties, said Bandra Bay presented an opportunity to enhance one of Mumbai’s distinctive waterfronts through landscaping and public spaces.

“Bandra Bay is an opportunity to thoughtfully enhance one of Mumbai’s most distinctive waterfronts and create a richly landscaped public realm that brings people closer to nature. We hope to create a well-designed, enduring destination that adds value to the neighbourhood and becomes a meaningful part of Mumbai’s everyday life for years to come,” he said.

The Bandra Reclamation promenade stretches 1.5 km. In 2010, DB Realty, now Valor Estate, secured the rights to beautify the waterfront in lieu of advertisement rights.

The latest makeover comes as a sizeable portion of Bandra Reclamation is in different stages of redevelopment, with real estate developers increasingly referring to the area as Bandra Bay. From Nargis Dutt Nagar to Nityanand Nagar near Bandra Fort, 11 builders have so far secured redevelopment projects in the area, which is emerging as one of Mumbai’s most prominent luxury residential and commercial pockets.

These include Oberoi Realty, L&T Realty, The Wadhwa Group, Excel Group, Hiranandani Communities, DLH and Adani Realty.

Anup Singh, head, design and regulatory, RC Group, said community aspirations had been incorporated into the design process. “With community aspirations forming an important part of the design process, Bandra Bay is envisioned to become a new landmark for the neighbourhood and an example of how thoughtful landscape design, environmental sensitivity and community participation can come together to create meaningful public spaces for Mumbai,” he said.