Kala Ghoda, Regal junction to get underground parking lots

The two facilities, designed to accommodate nearly 300 vehicles each, aim to reduce roadside parking and ease congestion in the densely packed ‘A’ ward, home to several colonial-era buildings, Art Deco structures, cultural institutions and tourist landmarks

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to build two underground parking projects in South Mumbai – at Kala Ghoda and near Regal Cinema – as part of its urban rejuvenation plan for South Mumbai’s heritage precincts. The parking lots have received approval from the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC).

Kala Ghoda, Regal junction to get underground parking lots

The tendering process is underway, with work on the Kala Ghoda project expected to begin after the monsoon, followed by the Regal junction project.

The two facilities, designed to accommodate nearly 300 vehicles each, aim to reduce roadside parking and ease congestion in the densely packed ‘A’ ward, home to several colonial-era buildings, Art Deco structures, cultural institutions and tourist landmarks.

The consultant appointed for the project is the Urban Design and Architecture Initiative (UDAI), led by architect Pritesh Bafna. The two parking facilities are part of a larger master plan for the stretch from Ballard Pier to Colaba.

“As part of the larger master plan, we proposed interconnected plazas from Horniman Circle to Flora Fountain, Kala Ghoda, Regal and the Gateway of India. The aim is to improve the experience for everyone using these heritage spaces,” said a civic source.

The facilities will feature fully automated parking systems. Also, unlike the ongoing Flora Fountain underground parking project, where vehicle lifts are located on the surface, the Kala Ghoda and Regal projects will have all parking operations underground.

“Even the vehicle queueing system will remain underground. Only staircases and passenger lifts will be visible above ground to maintain the heritage aesthetics,” the source said.

One of the major challenges during construction will be maintaining smooth traffic movement in this busy South Mumbai zone. However, civic officials said traffic management plans have been integrated into the project design.

“We cannot stop traffic movement. There may be inconvenience relating to parking during construction, but vehicular movement will remain seamless,” the source added.

The idea for the underground parking facilities was initiated by assembly speaker and MLA from Colaba, Rahul Narwekar, along with former corporator Makarand Narwekar. On the significance of the project, Makarand Narwekar said the primary issue in South Mumbai was not road width but stationary vehicles occupying carriage space.

“The roads in A ward are capable of handling traffic for several years. The real problem is friction caused by parked vehicles occupying lanes across areas like Gateway of India and Colaba. These parked vehicles create congestion and are also an eyesore in one of the city’s most important heritage precincts,” he said.

Narwekar said that South Mumbai’s heritage character required modern yet sensitive urban solutions. “This is a living heritage precinct, where people live and work. We have to adapt modern systems that can organise vehicles in an efficient and automated manner suitable for the 21st century,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BMC also plans to introduce a smart parking guidance system across ‘A’ ward, with digital signboards displaying real-time parking availability and vacant slots at various facilities.