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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
BMC selects RIL to develop open spaces along Coastal Road
Mumbai: Nearly a year after Mumbai's Coastal Road was opened to traffic, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has selected Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to develop 53 hectares of reclaimed open space along the road. The company will take at least three to four months to prepare a plan, following which work on realising new open spaces along the road from Priyadarshini Park to Worli will commence, said sources in the civic body. On Thursday, BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani signed the letter of intent (LoI) outlining terms of the deal between BMC and RIL. 'Reliance was one of the companies that evinced interest in developing open spaces along the entire stretch of the Coastal Road,' said Gagrani. Another official from the Coastal Road department said RIL was the only firm that met the requirements specified in the call for expressions of interest (EOI). 'It was also the only company that had experience in developing such a large tract of open space,' the official said. The company will take at least 3-4 months to revert to the BMC with a design, said Gagrani. 'We will approve the design after discussions, perhaps involving external landscape architects,' he mentioned. HT reached out to RIL for comments on the development, but did not get any response from the company. Initially, the BMC had planned to develop open spaces along the ₹13,000-crore Coastal Road of its own accord. The plan was rolled back due to estimated additional expenditure of ₹400 crore and increased capital expenditure on big ticket projects including north-ward extension of the Coastal Road. In January this year, the civic body issued a call for expressions of interest (EoI) to develop and maintain the open spaces for a period of 30 years, extendable by another 30 years. The open spaces would include gardens, parks, waterbodies, and cycle and pedestrian walkways, and commercial activities would be allowed subject to permission from the Supreme Court, the EoI mentioned. The move to allow commercial activities subject to court approval irked many Mumbaikars, who saw it as a bid to privatise these spaces. Meanwhile, an online petition seeking an urban forest all along the Coastal Road has garnered over 40,000 signatures. Nandini Chabria, a member of the core team behind the proposal to create the urban forest, said the 53-hectare open space could be divided into three zones. The seaward side could have wind-breaker and salt-tolerant trees like Kewda, Sultan Champa, and Powderpuff mangrove while the side adjacent to the carriageway could have evergreen and deciduous trees like Jamun, Bakul and Amaltas. The zone in the middle could have shade-giving trees and flowering shrubs to attract butterflies, she said. 'This is a rare opportunity for us to turn the open space into a rich, climate-smart green zone,' said Chabria. 'Rising temperatures in the city, increase in sea levels and deteriorating air quality warrant the development of such a zone.' While the proposal was submitted to the BMC this week, municipal commissioner Gagrani said it would 'definitely be considered' while finalising the plan for the open space. Half hectare excluded A little over half a hectare – equivalent to the size of a football field – has been left out of the 53-hectare open space that will be developed and maintained by RIL. This includes the 3,000 sqm and 2,300 sqm sought by the Breach Candy Club and the Breach Candy Hospital, respectively. Both institutions claimed the portions fell within the area between the high tide line and the low tide line, and they had gone underwater over time. The hospital has been given its share as per instructions from the collector as it holds the lease for the reclaimed portion and wants to convert it into a parking lot. The Breach Candy club, which also owns the reclaimed portion it had sought, are still in the process of claiming it. 'Though these portions have been excluded from the open space, no built-up construction will be allowed on them due to the existing reservations on the plots,' said an official from the Coastal Road department. These portions would likely be out of bounds for the public, the official added.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
Install dewatering pumps 414 low-lying areas: Bhushan Gagrani
Two days after the southwest monsoon marked an early arrival in Mumbai — the earliest recorded onset in at least the past 75 years — pounding the city with over 200 mm of rainfall, municipal commissioner and state-appointed administrator Bhushan Gagrani on Wednesday ordered immediate installation of dewatering pumps in as many as 414 low-lying areas. Besides, Gagrani also directed that all flood-control gates at the pumping stations in Haji Ali, Britannia and Lovegrove should be immediately checked so that the city's infrastructure is ready for any flood-like situation during the monsoon. He also instructed civic officials to immediately re-evaluate the existing flood-control mechanisms to make sure there is no flash flooding. 'Monsoon has arrived in Mumbai a fortnight earlier than usual, even though pre-monsoon works are going on at a fast pace. As a result, cleaning of drains, roads and other works have been affected. However, keeping in mind civic services, monsoon measures should be improved according to the situation and expedited,' he said. Gagrani's instructions came following a joint debriefing session on Wednesday, where civic officials along with the Mumbai police briefed the state government about the May 26 flooding. Gagrani said besides installing dewatering pumps, the BMC has also issued Letter of Approval (LoA) for acquiring 10 vehicle-mounted pumps, which will be deployed within the next eight days. 'These vehicles will be deployed to tackle flash floods in areas not equipped with dewatering pumps,' said an official. Gagrani also instructed that remaining desilting work should be completed within the next eight days and that all roads should be cleared of barricades and trenches within the next 24 hours. IMD downgrades forecast A day after issuing a yellow alert for Mumbai indicating moderate to heavy spell of rainfall till May 30 (Friday) morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday downgraded it. In its five day forecast issued on Wednesday afternoon the IMD said a yellow alert will be in place only till Thursday morning, following which no alert for heavy rains have been issued. The weather bureau, however, said light to moderate spell of rainfall will continue in the city till June 1. Meanwhile, IMD's Santacruz observatory recorded 1 mm of rainfall till 5.30 pm on Wednesday, while the coastal observatory at Colaba recorded 17 mm of rains. On Wednesday afternoon moderate rainfall lashed several parts of island city and suburbs; 36 mm rain was recorded at Malad, followed by 32 mm at Kanjurmarg, and 21 mm at Mulund.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘30% pre-monsoon work completed'
Mumbai: Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on Thursday directed civic officials to ensure that the silt lifted from the drains is disposed of at designated places within 48 hours and also employ trash boom wherever necessary. Gagrani said about 30 percent of the pre-monsoon target for removing silt has been completed so far. Gagrani inspected the ongoing nullah cleaning works at various locations and said that BMC will be spending Rs 235 crores for removing silt from small and large drains. tnn
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- General
- Indian Express
BMC completes 30% desilting, task to be completed in one month
As the city braces for the onset of monsoon within two months, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has achieved 30 percent of its desilting target so far, according to BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, who said the complete target will be achieved over a period next one month. In a bid to prevent waterlogging during the monsoon owing to choking and clogged drains, the civic body conducts desilting of minor and major nullahs across the city ahead of monsoon. Desilting refers to the process of extracting muck, silt and other sediments deposited in drains and riverbeds, to ensure smooth flow of drains during monsoon. Alongside the silt (soil) from the water which gets deposited naturally, a large amount of solid waste—from settlements along the drains—also gets accumulated in the city nullahs. This year, a fund of Rs 235 crore has been allocated for the annual pre-monsoon desilting exercise, for which at least 25 agencies have been roped in. On Thursday, civic chief Bhushan Gagrani visited pockets like Racecourse nullah, Nehru Science Centre nullah as well as Dadar Dharavi drain to conduct inspection of the ongoing desilting works. After taking stock of the exercise, Gagrani said nearly 30 percent of the targeted works have been completed so far, adding that the BMC is likely to achieve its complete target by the next month. Amid several pockets sounding concerns over the heaps of silt kept along the drains, Gagrani instructed officials to ensure all the sludge from the drain is disposed of within 48 hours while also using equipment like 'trash booms' wherever required. According to Gagrani, following directives from the chief minister, the civic body has also enhanced transparency in the process of desilting works by utilising artificial intelligence, for the first time ever, to analyse the quantum of silt and muck extracted during the exercise.
The Print
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Why Mumbai's Jain community is up in arms against BMC while Opposition makes hay
The temple demolition sparked off a massive protest by the Jain community in Mumbai. On Saturday, thousands dressed in white clothes marched to the K-East ward office in protest, wearing black bands. Protesters alleged that despite a pending stay order by the court, the BMC demolished the temple while devotees were inside. In an urgent hearing, called on the same day, the Bombay High Court ordered a status quo till the next hearing on 30 April. On 16 April, a BMC team from the K-East ward demolished the Shri 1008 Parshwanath Digambar Jain Mandir, allegedly illegally built inside Neminath Cooperative Housing Society on Nehru Road in Vile Parle East. Mumbai: The demolition of a Jain temple in Mumbai's Vile Parle by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has kicked up a political storm, ongoing for the past four days. All parties, including sections of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have slammed the civic body over the demolition. K-East ward in-charge Navnath Ghadge Patil, who ordered the demolition, was transferred later in the day, according to BMC Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. Meanwhile, H-East ward assistant commissioner Swapnaja Kshirsagar took additional charge for the K-East ward until further notice. On Sunday, for devotees to continue prayers and religious rituals, the idols were restored on a small canopy. Summoned to a hearing on the matter Tuesday, Gagrani did not attend the Maharashtra State Minority Commission meeting neither did he visit the temple site. After the minority commission ordered a site survey to assess the temple damage, the minority commission's vice chairman, along with now-ward in-charge Swapnaja Kshirsagar and DCP (Zone-8) Maneesh Kalwaniya, inspected the demolished-temple site. A day earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers' Union condemned Ghadge Patil's transfer, alleging 'political pressure' in the discharge of official duties. Seen by ThePrint, the union's letter, dated 21 April and addressed to the BMC commissioner, said that the temple issue was already in court, and Ghadge Patil was only following court orders. 'If this situation continues, Mumbai, which is known as a world-class city, will soon be known as a city of illegal construction,' the letter said. ThePrint met the K-East ward officials with questions, but they did not respond. ThePrint also contacted BMC Commissioner Gagrani over calls and text messages, and this report will be updated if and when he responds. Also Read: Amid 'Hindi imposition' cry against Fadnavis govt, why Raj Thackeray's voice is the loudest Why temple was demolished Members of the Jain community have alleged that the civic body demolished the temple under the influence of a local businessman, who wanted to expand his hotel business to the temple premises. Speaking to ThePrint, temple trust secretary Anil Bandi said, 'Until 15 April, we did not have a stay order post-midnight. However, the court ordered a stay [on demolition] at 11 am on 16 April. The only thing illegal here is a restaurant and bar, run by the local businessman on the temple premises.' The BMC demolition squad reached the temple on 16 April morning. Bandi said the temple trust had received notices earlier, too, but had requested the BMC not to demolish the temple. 'If we did not interfere with their business, why did they have to demolish the temple of a peace-loving community, carrying out their prayers?' he asked. He added that past governments had saved the temple from demolition, but this time, the BMC acted without informing the government. 'The local business wants to redevelop the entire premises and remove the temple to build malls, restaurants, and hotels,' said Bandi. Another member of the temple trust, Dinesh Jain, said, 'The officials did not spare any of our idols and damaged everything, from the ceilings to the walls. They broke our idols into two pieces and disrespected our sacred texts.' Speaking to ThePrint, Jain said that the officials forcefully entered the temple while devotees wearing their traditional attire were praying. The officials allegedly pushed women out, with some of them even fainting during the demolition. 'We requested them to be gentle as the idols were present inside the premises, but they did not listen to our requests,' Jain said. According to Bandi, the temple incurred damages worth crores of rupees, with several damaged idols and religious texts recovered from the site later. 'We do not want any money, but only want our land back. We will not stay quiet till we rebuild the temple here itself. However, the ward officer responsible for this act should be suspended,' he said. Even though Navnath Ghadge Patil was transferred, the Jain community demanded his suspension after the BMC unearthed multiple damaged idols from the site during the removal of debris. Speaking to ThePrint, advocate Dhanpal Solanki Jain, a member of the All India Jain Minority Forum, said, 'Since the BJP came to power in 2014, the Jain community has faced a hidden Brahminical agenda, fostering resentment among us. Jains are not traditionally BJP supporters, and many align with parties like Congress. Given that the BJP is ruling the state and the BMC, they must uphold minority rights as outlined in the Constitution.' 'We have witnessed illegal hawkers and structures flourishing under the BMC's watch. There is a power imbalance in how the BMC demolished a 30- or 40-year-old temple, without proper oversight or communication. This is an instance of money power playing out. As minority representatives, we demand that the BMC rebuild the temple, restoring our rights as guaranteed under the law,' said the advocate. Political Bickering Politicians from all parties have demanded action against the BJP. Opposition leaders are questioning why the ruling alliance, Mahayuti, which administers the BMC, let the demolition happen in the first place. District MLA and co-guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha posted on the microblogging site X, 'The removal of the Jain temple of Pujya Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan in Vile Parle has hurt the sentiments of the Jain community. It was not just a religious place, but a centre of faith and devotion of the community.' Worli MLA and former cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray also took to X, saying, 'The co-guardian minister is just playing a game! The chief minister is from his party. The BMC is run by the chief minister's office. He is the co-guardian minister of the district. Who took the action? The BMC that the CMO runs. Where? In the district where he [Lodha] is the co-custodian minister. So what exactly are they protesting?' 'They had every right to tell @mybmc not to take action until the case is heard. Why didn't they do so? They are lying to the Jain community and citizens! The question is, as usual, the officer was changed, but when will action be taken against the real culprits?' Thackeray asked in his post. Similarly, in a post on X, MP and Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad said, 'Is it a crime to be a minority in BJP-ruled states? A 30-year-old Parshwanath Digambar Jain Mandir, located on Nehru Road in Vile Parle (East), Mumbai, was suddenly and brutally demolished. This was not just a building—it was a symbol of the Jain community's faith, tradition, and identity. What's even more disturbing is that the idols of Jain Tirthankaras, sacred scriptures like the Jinvani, and other revered religious texts were also desecrated.' Pooja Bhatia is an intern with ThePrint. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Uddhav, Raj hint at uniting 'for Maharashtra'. Will it be a Thackeray redux or yet another paper tiger
