Implement existing rules to save Mumbai: NAGAR appeal to candidates

Pollution control, conservation and augmentation of open spaces will be key to Mumbai's quality of life, says NAGAR's election appeal.

Mumbai is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and faces many challenges – from shrinking open spaces, rising pollution to serious climate change impact as a coastal city.

We, at NAGAR, (NGO Alliance For Governance Advocacy Renewal), have been advocating and championing the cause of open spaces in Mumbai to ensure a better quality of life for all citizens for over two decades. 

As assembly elections approach us, we would like to draw the attention of voters and candidates towards some of the pressing issues that need to be addressed urgently. 

We hope that when the new government is formed, these will be addressed by the successful candidate to help make Mumbai a better city.

Pollution: Urgent attention needed

Pollution – Despite having the sea, last year Mumbai had a worse AQI than Delhi on some days. The amount of dust owing to a huge amount of ongoing construction and poor management of the same, despite rules being in place, has led to worsening pollution levels.

The government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) needs to address it urgently as winter sets in. 

Open spaces and Mumbai

Open Spaces and inappropriate use of land (land grab) – We have been working on the issue of open spaces for over 20 years. We have noticed the BMC/the government tries to convert open space into something commercial such as underground parking. Before we restored Oval Maidan, the plan was to construct underground parking there.      

Keeping open spaces permeable – It is extremely important to keep open spaces permeable. That means the space cannot be concretised as it then cannot absorb water. For example, at Churchgate where I live, it does not flood because the Oval maidan soaks up water. If underground parking plots are developed, they will necessarily mean concretising below  the parks/ground for constructing these.. That will be a disaster and lead to waterlogging and flooding.  

BMC has proposed that Public Open Spaces be given to private entities on adoption basis. Pic: Sherine Raj
BMC has proposed that Public Open Spaces be given to private entities on adoption basis. Pic: Sherine Raj

Lack of augmentation of open spaces – There is no proactive effort to acquire private spaces (notified) and make them into accessible open spaces for people despite a provision in the law. The population has increased manifold but open spaces are shrinking. 

Mahalakshmi Race Course – Now that the BMC has acquired 120 acres of the Mahalakshmi Race Course, we would like to urge the government to keep it open. They need to clarify what they mean when they say “theme park,” is it a butterfly garden or will they plant indigenous trees or will it have stalls and construction activities? They have said it will be like Central Park in NYC. It needs to be open to all and kept free of any construction.   


Read more: As Mumbai prepares to vote, a look at government promises vs performance


What Mumbai really needs

First, implementation of existing rules and regulations must be more strict and meticulous. We already have rules in place when it comes to handling construction debris, garbage, but when the BMC and government are building, they themselves do not follow them. We noticed that debris remained on the roads, over several days, during construction of Coastal Road but was managed very well in the Churchgate area when Metro III was being built. If the administration itself doesn’t follow rules, then how will the other builders?  

Holistic planning for the city is also crucial.  Despite having a development plan for the city, we notice that there are many continuing amendments and changes to that. It is important to have a holistic plan for the city that takes into account traffic, open spaces, access to water and parking and public transport. 

BMC elections must be held at the earliest, so that people can approach the corporators in case of any problems. Shocking that an administrator is running the BMC for over two years!

Also read:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Similar Story

Monsoon relief: How our community helpline supports Tambaram residents

The helpline operated by volunteers has been a boon for residents, who faced hardships during the first spell of heavy rains.

In recent monsoons, as heavy rains battered Chennai, causing floods and damage, many residents grew frustrated with the government's emergency call centres. Calls often went unanswered or were handled by outsourced agents unfamiliar with local issues. As the president of the United Federation of Residents in Tambaram, I felt it was essential to address the growing concerns about emergency support during the rainy season. Anticipating a heavy downpour on October 17th and 18th this year, we launched our community helpline — just days before the rains started. The helpline, reachable at 044-35901040, is manned by a dedicated team of around…

Similar Story

City Buzz: CPCB questions air pollution study | RWH in Bengaluru parks… and more

Other news: Scholarships for SC/ST/OBC Delhi students, 49% rise in festive online sales and online food orders surge during Diwali.

CPCB questions air pollution study A Lancet study linking air pollution to an estimated 33,000 deaths annually, mainly due to PM2.5 levels in ten major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, may not be following the accurate methodology. It might be incorrect about the air quality challenges or mortality rates, said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In its submission to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the CPCB said that relying on satellite data and modelling techniques could be “unrealistic.” It added that these methods might not capture the variability in death registration systems, affecting the reliability of cause-specific…