Mumbai architects call on BMC to safeguard open spaces from projects
Real Estate

Mumbai architects call on BMC to safeguard open spaces from projects

The Mumbai Architects Collective, in a letter addressed to the BMC commissioner on September 24 and signed by 92 architects, planners, and designers, expressed their concern over a troubling trend of appropriating parks and open spaces for infrastructure projects, commercial use, and parking. They emphasized that such actions undermine the ecological, social, and public value of these areas.

In the letter, they conveyed their deep concerns regarding ongoing threats to key public spaces like the Hanging Gardens, the Racecourse, Aarey Forest, the salt pans, and the unfulfilled promises of open spaces along the Coastal Road. They urged the commissioner to build on the solidarity witnessed at Patwardhan Park and to make a lasting commitment that all open spaces in Mumbai would remain open and accessible to the public indefinitely and under public control. They asserted that safeguarding these spaces is crucial for the city's environmental, social, and economic future.

The letter noted that the open spaces along the Mumbai Coastal Road are yet to be developed, with work planned to begin once the road construction is complete. Over the past weekend, BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani joined residents at Bandra's Raosaheb Patwardhan Park to celebrate the decision to scrap plans for an underground parking lot beneath the garden's playground area.

Furthermore, the collective commended the recent efforts by citizens in preserving Patwardhan Park from being converted into a parking lot. They remarked that the solidarity demonstrated by citizens, political representatives, and the BMC in protecting this vital public resource was commendable, reflecting a similar victory at Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu. They highlighted that these successes underscore the critical importance of safeguarding open spaces for public use.

The Mumbai Architects Collective, in a letter addressed to the BMC commissioner on September 24 and signed by 92 architects, planners, and designers, expressed their concern over a troubling trend of appropriating parks and open spaces for infrastructure projects, commercial use, and parking. They emphasized that such actions undermine the ecological, social, and public value of these areas. In the letter, they conveyed their deep concerns regarding ongoing threats to key public spaces like the Hanging Gardens, the Racecourse, Aarey Forest, the salt pans, and the unfulfilled promises of open spaces along the Coastal Road. They urged the commissioner to build on the solidarity witnessed at Patwardhan Park and to make a lasting commitment that all open spaces in Mumbai would remain open and accessible to the public indefinitely and under public control. They asserted that safeguarding these spaces is crucial for the city's environmental, social, and economic future. The letter noted that the open spaces along the Mumbai Coastal Road are yet to be developed, with work planned to begin once the road construction is complete. Over the past weekend, BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani joined residents at Bandra's Raosaheb Patwardhan Park to celebrate the decision to scrap plans for an underground parking lot beneath the garden's playground area. Furthermore, the collective commended the recent efforts by citizens in preserving Patwardhan Park from being converted into a parking lot. They remarked that the solidarity demonstrated by citizens, political representatives, and the BMC in protecting this vital public resource was commendable, reflecting a similar victory at Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu. They highlighted that these successes underscore the critical importance of safeguarding open spaces for public use.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

DCPC Prepares for Special Campaign 5.0 with Focus on E-Waste

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, is gearing up for Special Campaign 5.0, to be held from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The initiative will focus on e-waste disposal as per MoEFCC’s E-Waste Management Rules 2022, space optimisation, and enhancing workplace efficiency across field offices.Special Campaign 4.0, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, delivered notable results in record management, grievance redressal, scrap disposal, and cleanliness drives.Key outcomes of Special Campaign 4.0Records management: 2,443 physical fil..

Next Story
Real Estate

BlackRock India Leases 1.4 Lakh Sq Ft in Bengaluru

BlackRock Services India, the domestic arm of global asset manager BlackRock, has leased 1.4 lakh sq ft of office space at IndiQube Symphony in Bengaluru, according to Propstack data. The 10-year deal is valued at around Rs 4.10 billion.The lease, among the largest transactions in India’s co-working sector, highlights the growing preference of global institutions for flexible office providers. The agreement, commencing October 1, 2025, covers ground plus five floors in KNG Tower 1 at Ashoknagar, MG Road — one of Bengaluru’s prime commercial hubs.As per the lease document, BlackRock will ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

L&T Bags Rs 25–50 Bn Order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Track Works

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Transportation Infrastructure business has secured an order valued between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 billion from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor.The contract, Package T1, involves the design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of 156 route km of high-speed ballastless track on a Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis. The stretch runs from Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex to Zaroli village in Gujarat and includes 21 km of underground track and 135 km of elevated viaduct.Se..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?