South Mumbai land to be handed over to BMC

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is the Special Planning Authority (SPA) of Back Bay Reclamation, which includes areas like Cuffe Parade, is going to hand over its authority over Back Bay Reclamation land to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in view of the lack of development opportunities and space in the area. Metropolitan commissioner U.P.S. Madan has already written to the state government to grant the rights to the BMC.  

“I have written to the government to give the authority to the civic body since there are no open spaces in the area, which as a planning authority, we can plan and develop. The land needs an agency for multiple purposes,” said Mr Madan. On June 15, 1983, the MMRDA was given the responsibility to act as the SPA for the Back Bay Reclamation scheme in order to develop the land in a comprehensive manner and provide the necessary amenities. However, over the years the place witnessed illegal encroachments mushrooming, which MMRDA has no proper mechanism to take action against.  “There are illegal encroachments on open spaces which are marked as gardens in the Development Plan. We only could save one open space from encroachments. When we take the complaint to the BMC, they refuse to act since the land belongs to the MMRDA. On the other hand, the MMRDA has no apt mechanism to act against encroachments,” said Padmakar Nandekar of the Cuffe Parade Residents Association.

The MMRDA is also the planning authority of areas such as Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Wadala. BKC has been developed as a business district by the MMRDA. The authority has grand plans to make Wadala the next business hotspot.

In the past, the MMRDA launched a beautification scheme in the area. The scheme involved reclamation of about 9.10 ha, which was mainly for a protective sea wall and promenade along the shoreline and other public and semi-public purposes.