Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Feb 15: Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday stressed the need for a coherent urban design strategy for Mumbai, highlighting that the city currently lacks a consistent architectural identity and planned aesthetic.
Speaking at the closing session of The Everyday City exhibition, organised by Bombay Greenway, Thackeray pointed out that Mumbai’s skyline reflects an unplanned mix of architectural styles and building permissions granted without a broader design framework.
“Mumbai needs a certain design aesthetic. In part of South Mumbai, you have Gothic architecture, the other side of Marine Drive, you have Art Deco style. Elsewhere, three- to four-story buildings are being converted into high-rises. In BKC, the design is completely modern. There has to be a sense of aesthetic to the city design,” he said.
Referring to the proposed redevelopment of Dharavi, Thackeray added that while residents must remain in the area, the planning must reflect a “certain texture and design sense,” criticizing the housing department for issuing random permissions for construction. He also suggested that infrastructure, such as flyovers, follow a uniform visual approach with consistent colour schemes.
The exhibition, which focused on the H West ward covering Bandra, Santacruz, and Khar West, revealed that the area has only 0.87 square metres of open space per person, far below the nine square metres recommended by the World Health Organization. Issues such as privatisation of play areas and restricted public garden timings were highlighted as barriers to access.
Proposed interventions included increasing green cover around Bandra railway station and creating an 8.7-kilometre pedestrian and cycling greenway from Carter Road to the Mahim waterfront, along with improvements along Linking Road.
On the Mahalaxmi Racecourse redevelopment plan, Thackeray said, “Mahalaxmi racecourse should remain as is. Our design was to landscape it without digging a single inch. What do we need an underground sports complex for? I hope that can be stopped.”
Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, present at the event, acknowledged that cycling tracks and footpaths were historically not integrated into Mumbai’s planning. “Like cycling tracks, even footpaths were not planned except in South Mumbai, which continues to have good footpaths. Our challenge is to maintain existing footpaths while carving out new cycle tracks and walking spaces with upcoming infrastructure projects,” he said.