BMC: Single planning body for city?

MUMBAI: In a significant move which could have an impact on city administration if approved by the state government, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed it be made a single planning authority for Mumbai.

Currently, multiple agencies act as the special planning authority for areas in the city. For example, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is the special planning authority for Bandra-kurla Complex (BKC), Oshiwara Business District and Cuffe Parade. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has powers in areas where slum projects are taken up and the Maharashtra

Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) is the special planning authority for its colonies. Several urban planners have been suggesting the city needs one authority to plan its development and control haphazard vertical development owing to lack of coordination among different agencies. Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, “Several authorities are authorised to plan development of layouts in their possession. There is no control of the BMC on these authorities, whereas the BMC is providing all infrastructural facilities such as water supply, sewerage facility, roads, streetlights, solid waste management services, etc. This leads to loss of revenue to BMC and citizens have to suffer in case of any obstacle that may arise in the infrastructural facilities.”

Making it a single planning authority for the city will facilitate speedy development and also solve the problems with regard to infrastructural facilities of citizens residing in these layouts, under one roof, according to the civic body. Chahal said, “By single planning authority we do not mean to execute several infrastructure projects going on in the city, but we plan to act as a planning authority. A single planning authority will mean Mumbai can have integrated planning and development in the immediate future. This proposal is under active consideration of the state government.”

He also added that in the coming months, the BMC could be made the planning authority for Cuffe Parade and Marine Drive. “Many citizens and various stakeholders have approached us for having a single planning authority, and the state has been very positive about it,” he said.

Amruta Ponkshe, an independent urban planner, said, “What BMC has proposed today has been a demand for long. But the BMC needs to have a proper plan and should involve citizens and other stakeholders.”

Ravi Raja, Congress corporator and leader of Opposition in the BMC, said, “The plan is good for the city, but it will require the BMC to improve a lot of things.”

Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi Party corporator and group leader in the BMC, said, “We support the plan to make BMC the single planning authority.”