‘We should grow our public land’: 127 architects urge state to protect Mumbai’s open spaces

MUMBAI: The city is getting denser, but its public spaces are not keeping pace and are running out of breathing space

MUMBAI: The city is getting denser, but its public spaces are not keeping pace and are running out of breathing space. Now, a collective of 127 architects, urban designers, planners, landscape architects and allied professionals has urged the Maharashtra government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to adopt a long-term vision for the city and protect its remaining public and ecological assets.

The Mumbai Architects Collective (MAC), in an appeal to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide on Friday, raised concerns over what it described as a growing pattern of commercialisation and construction on public and environmentally sensitive land.

The collective pointed to a series of recent proposals that threaten the city’s playgrounds, parks, open spaces along the Coastal Road, former dairies, mangroves, salt pans and the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. These include proposals to convert playgrounds into convention centres, build underground parking beneath parks, redevelop BEST depots with significant commercial components, monetise portions of Coastal Road open spaces and undertake construction or redevelopment within long-standing ecological assets.

“While each proposal may have its own justification, their cumulative impact on Mumbai’s public realm needs to be examined,” the letter said, calling for a wider public debate before changes to public assets become irreversible.

A city short of space

The collective said it had previously raised concerns over projects involving Patwardhan Park, the Hanging Gardens, the Coastal Road, the Mahalaxmi Racecourse and proposals for underground parking beneath parks.

The architects highlighted Mumbai’s severe shortage of public open spaces. According to MAC, the city has only 1.58 sqm of public open space per person, compared with 31.68 sqm in London and 26.4 sqm in New York.

The collective said parks, playgrounds, wetlands, mangroves and other natural ecosystems should be treated as essential public infrastructure rather than vacant land available for development.

“These spaces perform critical functions including stormwater absorption, flood mitigation and temperature regulation,” it said, adding that the loss of such ecosystems could impose significant long-term environmental and economic costs on the city. The architects also referred to observations of the Bombay High Court regarding the economic value of ecosystem services, including those provided by the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

‘Not against development’

The collective clarified that its appeal was not against development, housing or improvements to Mumbai’s transport infrastructure. Instead, it called for development to be guided by two principles. First, public land should be treated as a public trust and should not become the primary resource for addressing the city’s financial, infrastructure or development requirements.

Second, increased density must be matched by increased public infrastructure. Any redevelopment that adds population or built-up area, the collective said, should simultaneously provide for additional open spaces, environmental capacity and civic amenities.

MAC has also sought an annual, ward-wise report from the BMC detailing the creation of public infrastructure, including footpaths, parks and civic amenities. Such reporting, it said, would allow citizens to assess whether public infrastructure is keeping pace with the city’s growth.

The letter has been signed by 127 architects and urban planners, among them Alan Abraham, Brinda Somaya, Rahul Kadri, Neera Adarkar and PK Das. The collective has offered its professional expertise to the government and civic administration, saying its objective is to help shape a more resilient, equitable and liveable Mumbai while ensuring that the city’s remaining public and ecological assets are protected for future generations.

HT reached out to Bhide, but she did not respond till the time of going to press.