BMC invites private firms to develop open spaces along Coastal Road

BMC coastal road department invited expressions of interest from private firms, opening up the possibility of commercial exploitation of these spaces.

MUMBAI: Abandoning its earlier plan of developing and maintaining 53 acres of reclaimed open spaces along the coastal road at its own cost, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) coastal road department on Friday invited expressions of interest (EOI) for the same from private firms, opening up the possibility of commercial exploitation of these spaces.

Mumbai, India. Jan 31,2024 - Marine Drive to Worli, 10.58 Km stretch of Mumbai Coastal Road open by around February month.This road will enable vehicles to travel at speeds of up to 80 km/h, although the design allows for speeds of 100 km/h. It is considered to be the most expensive project of the BMC yet. It will connect the Marine Drive area in south Mumbai to Kandivali, a western suburb, via the existing Bandra Worli Sea Link, January 31,2024. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

The civic body called for EOIs, latest by February 12, to also maintain the almost 7 km-long promenade from Priyadarshini Park to Worli, expected to be opened by end-February or early-March.

Companies must undertake the projects as “volunteer agencies” at their own cost for a duration of 30 years, extendable by another 30 years, the call for EOIs notes. In return, they will get naming rights for the gardens they develop and maintain, subject to approval of the state government.

“We dropped the earlier plan of choosing a contractor on BMC’s payroll via a tendering process due to the high expenditure as our finances are already strained owing to infrastructure projects in the city,” said a BMC official. “Just as we have beautified the median along the coastal road using CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds, we’ve decided the open spaces and promenade too can be developed the same way,” the official noted.

The supreme court had in September 2022 allowed the BMC to go ahead with construction of the coastal road on reclaimed land on condition that it would not use the land for any residential and commercial purposes. On December 14, 2024, the BMC too had, in response to a right to information application from architect Alan Abraham and others, ensured that there would be “no encroachment or privatisation of the open spaces (along the coastal road) and they would be secured and publicly maintained by the BMC.” It had also mentioned that there would be no public hoardings and construction of any kind in the entire project.

In its letter calling for EOIs issued on Friday, the BMC has taken care to mention that no commercial activity will be allowed on either the open spaces or the promenade. But it is followed by a caveat, which says, “However, subject to permission of the supreme court, the volunteer agency may be permitted to take up such activities restricted to the allocated expenditure adhering to upkeep of the above scope of work.”

Since the supreme court has allowed BMC to implement paid parking at underground parking lots along the coastal road, it may allow volunteer agencies to undertake some commercial activities to recover operational costs, the BMC official quoted earlier said.

With the change in plan for developing and maintaining the open spaces, the earlier design drawn up by consulting firm AECOM might change, the official said. The earlier plan envisaged three distinct, theme-based sections of open spaces called green shore, nature’s cove and park line, comprising plantations, artificial water and gardens, respectively.

“The final design for the open spaces and promenade will now depend on what interested companies come up with. Depending on applicants’ interests and capabilities, we may offer the 53 acres to one or multiple companies,” said the official.

Concerned citizens and activists, however, decried the move, saying the BMC was going back on everything they’ve said previously.

“This is just one in a sequence of series to privatise and restrict the open spaces,” said Abraham.

A member of the Breach Candy Residents Forum also voiced suspicion regarding BMC’s plans. “Why did the BMC show us presentations of the plan and design for the open spaces if they weren’t intending on following through? Hopefully all of those weren’t only promises on paper,” the person said.

Meanwhile, BMC has paused work on the underground car park in front of Breach Candy since November due to objections from the forum and support from MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha.