Maharashtra considers consolidated development of Parel mill land

Charles Correa suggests holistic approach to the 'Golden Triangle'

The Maharashtra government is considering a proposal to prepare a consolidated development plan for eight private mills located on 60 acres of land in the central Mumbai district, instead of allowing their development in an unilateral and haphazard way.

Architect and town planner Charles Correa has in fact sought a six-month moratorium on any further construction activity taking place in this region till a cluster development plan is fleshed out to carve out a Golden Triangle in the region.

Confirming this, principal secretary of the state's urban development department Ramanand Tiwari told Business Standard, "According to the development plan for Mumbai city envisaged by Mumbai First (McKinsey report), a sub-committee was formed to look into the proposed development activity in the city. During the meeting of this sub-committee, we discussed the possibility of going in for a cluster development plan for eight private textile mills in central Mumbai. These mills, Correa pointed out, could with a little bit of adjustment be developed holistically. The state government is yet to formally submit a proposal."

According to Tiwari, while existing rules permit private mill owners to develop one third of their 'vacant' mill land, after equitably dividing the remainder between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), an integrated plan for developing the region as a whole into a Golden Triangle has been mooted by Correa.

According to missive sent by Correa to the state government on September 3 (a copy of which is available with this paper), "Government must pay attention to the haphazard development taking place in many of the Parel textile mills, and in particular to the Golden Triangle identified in the special committee report of August 1996. This triangular area is very extensive (more than twice as large as the existing central business district in the Fort area). All this property involves only eight owners and so represents a unique opportunity for a well coordinated and exemplary development."

Correa adds, unfortunately quite a different kind of development is actually taking place.

"Each of these enormous properties is being developed in total isolation from its neighbourhood with internal road patterns, unconnected to the roads in the next property. This will make it impossible for the BMC to provide efficient and coordinated services for water supply, sewage, storm water drains, electricity and other infrastructure, not to mention taking responsibility for motor and pedestrian traffic."

He further states that a proper development plan for the region would facilitate municipal services while also allowing for public gardens, schools and hospitals. "And providing these amenities will generate much better real estate returns as well," the missive says.

"In short, this Golden Triangle could be something of which our city will be justly proud, a new centre that helps take off the pressure from the Fort area at the southern tip of the island city. To achieve this, the task of proper and coordinated planning is crucial"" and should commence immediately. Until this is completed (which would take about six months), the state government, as we discussed, should place a moratorium on any further construction in the area," Correa says.

Tiwari added that the cluster development plan also seeks to develop the entire 60 odd acres in a manner that would allow even leaving out space as big as the Oval Maidan in south Mumbai for public amenities.