BMC boss talks green scene at meet; Coastal Rd gardens, racecourse in focus; Key points up for discussion were: ‘Proposed beautification of the Coastal Road Promenade’ and other key and civic open space concerns in South Mumbai
Susieben Shah, Bhushan Gagrani, and Milind Deora during the interaction
The South Mumbai Residents Association (SMRA), a non-political, non-commercial body, held an interactive session between planners/leaders and citizens at the Priyadarshini Park (PDP), Nepean Sea Road, on Sunday, February 22, morning, called ‘Citizen Dialogue’.
Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani was the chief guest/speaker. There was Susieben Shah, founder of SMRA and MP Milind Deora, also part of the dialogue. Key points up for discussion were: ‘Proposed beautification of the Coastal Road Promenade’ and other key and civic open space concerns in South Mumbai.
Project plans being explained through slides. Pics/Atul Kamble
Susieben Shah spoke to the sizable SoBo audience, telling them about the power of unity, “alone we have fingers, together we make a fist of strength and amplify our voices.” There was a slide presentation showing plans for the Coastal Road gardens, a 7.5 km distance from Worli to the Priyadarshini Park. Deora said, “This is not a project but a responsibility.” Gagrani claimed, “Today, Mumbai is going through an unprecedented transformation.
We are ramping up public infrastructure along with private redevelopment. The challenge is to find a method in the madness, which is to make it more citizen-friendly. The entire Coastal Road and the adjacent gardens are on reclaimed land, and this must be used for public purposes. There has been some concern about this being used for commercial activity, but that is not true. Only maintenance charges (for parking, washrooms) will be levied.”
In the end, the commissioner said, “We are not just showing you utopian dreams. There is a timeline, maybe two years, for completion of the gardens. Remember, as a citizen, open spaces are important to me too. I am a temporary commissioner; I am a permanent Mumbaikar.”
Highlights
>> Gardens on the Coastal Road from Worli to Priyadarshini Park (Nepean Sea Road)
>> Distance of: 7.5 km
>> 11 public underpasses
>> 2 parking spaces (Worli)
>> 1 is being built at Haji Ali
>> 60,000: No. of trees to be planted
Interactive session
>> Citizens asked questions about the racecourse, and a conceptual plan was showcased
>> There were questions about AQI levels
>> Concerns about littering
>> Nepean Sea Road citizens pressed for access to the Coastal Road from Nepean Sea Road
>> Citizens asked the commissioner about timelines
Features
>> Sports hub planned at Haji Ali in Worli
>> Miyawaki forests are part of the plan
>> Thinking about a bird trail at Bhulabhai Desai junction
>> Plans for a festival plaza and Ferris wheel on the Worli side
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