The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had invited suggestions and objections to its Iconic Buildings Policy on June 24, through a public notice proposing Regulation 33(27) under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034
Art Deco buildings at Marine Drive in South Mumbai. FILE PIC/SHADAB KHAN
Now turning into a political flashpoint, the Iconic Buildings Policy announced by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in March this year has drawn strong opposition from the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) faction, which has filed formal objections backed by 2200 signatures in a single letter.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had invited suggestions and objections to its Iconic Buildings Policy on June 24, through a public notice proposing Regulation 33(27) under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034. Citizens were given a month to submit responses, with the deadline ending on July 24. The objections, coordinated by NCP-SP National Spokesperson Anish Gawande and a coalition of concerned citizens, include signatures from 2205 architects, urban planners, citizens, actors, filmmakers, and civil society activists.
In March, Shinde announced that a new policy would be introduced to encourage the construction of ‘Iconic Buildings’ in Mumbai. The stated aim was to foster world-class architecture while retaining the city’s unique identity, particularly structures built during the British era. The plan would involve amending the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act and adding a new chapter to the DCPR 2034. The policy defines an ‘Iconic Building’ as any structure or space having a unique or distinctive characteristic, whether in shape, size, concept, theme, or design.
The coalition’s letter strongly objects to the qualifying criteria for such buildings, especially the clause requiring at least 40 per cent of a structure to be open to the public (often for a fee). It states: “The proposed policy defines ‘iconic’ in a manner that is exclusionary and biased towards commercial spectacle. The requirement that at least 40 per cent of a building be open to the public for a fee disqualifies Mumbai’s vast stock of residential heritage buildings, from the chawls of Girgaon to the bungalows of Gamdevi and the art deco apartments of Marine Drive. These are structures that define the everyday life and cultural identity of the city.”
The letter also argues that public access must not be turned into a paid spectacle. Critics have further labelled the policy environmentally unsound, highlighting concerns around the promotion of illuminated façades and high-rise construction, with no requirement for environmental reviews or sustainability standards.
With the July 24 deadline having lapsed, the BMC is now preparing to hold a public hearing. A senior civic official from the Development Plan department told mid-day, “We are in the process of compiling all citizen suggestions and objections and reviewing their contents. Once that’s done, we’ll respond to those who submitted inputs and hold a public hearing. This may take anywhere from a week to a fortnight. At present, we don’t have an exact count of how many submissions were made.”
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