Mumbai: CM Fadnavis’ high-rise plans too tall for BKC?

While Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has proposed building twin high-rises in the commercial hub of Bandra-Kurla Complex to woo investors, MMRDA officials say it will be difficult, owing to height restrictions imposed by the civil aviation ministry.

While Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has proposed building twin high-rises in the commercial hub of Bandra-Kurla Complex to woo investors, MMRDA officials say it will be difficult, owing to height restrictions imposed by the civil aviation ministry.

File-photo-of-the-commercial-complexes-at-BKC-Bandra-Kurla-Complex-road-in-Mumbai-Pratham-Gokhale-HT-photo

On Sunday, while laying the foundation stone for the BKC-Chunabhatti elevated road project, Fadnavis had stressed on the need to attract more investors to Mumbai.

“Many countries want to invest in India, and we will make BKC a growth engine to bring revenue to the city. We will build two iconic high-rises and improve infrastructure in BKC to attract funds,” said Fadnavis.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials, however, said under the present height restriction of 90 metres for buildings in BKC, building the towers is almost impossible. In December last year, the aviation ministry had rejected MMRDA’s proposal to remove the height cap.

“We are working on the plan to bring global companies to BKC. We will appoint a consultant to figure out how to implement the plan,” said UPS Madan, MMRDA commissioner.

The chief minister said his government will waive off tax on financial transactions done by fund managers. “We will streamline various taxes to facilitate agreements with companies to set up units in Mumbai,” he said.

Inquiry into monorail faults
After the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its recent report, pointed out several flaws in the monorail project, Fadnavis said an inquiry will be made into the matter

He said the inquiry will be made to come up with ways to make the monorail service flawless, and not as an act of vindictiveness against the Congress- NCP government that launched the project.