Endangered Future of Mumbai's Open Spaces

Endangered Future of Mumbai’s open Spaces
Observer Research Foundation Mumbai

Ideas and Action for a Better India
ENDANGERED FUTURE OF
MUMBAI’S
OPEN SPACES
Gautam Kirtane Sayli Udas Mankikar Dwip Rachchh
1
2 / Foreword
ENDANGERED FUTURE OF
MUMBAI’S
OPEN SPACES
3
4 / Foreword
INDEX
Foreword 1
Introduction The image of Mumbai city 7
Open spaces in numbers 11
MCGM’s open spaces journey 19
Managment and governance in MCGM 27
Garden department budget 33
Citizen-centric spaces 37
Mumbai Speaks: Survey, methodology 43

and inferences
Recommendations 60
Afterword: The Mumbai Revised Draft 86

Development Plan (RDDP) 2014-2034
5
6 / Introduction The image of Mumbai city

FOREWORD
In a city of mostly nano-sized houses, public open
spaces are the common living rooms for communities
Sudheendra Kulkarni
Chairman, ORF Mumbai
“Public space should be regarded as the living room of the city.”

- Jan Gehl, renowned Danish architect who insists “public life” should be the driver for urban design
“A good city is one where people want to go out of their homes. Public space is a magical
good and it never ceases to yield pleasure. We should give it a lot of attention. A great city
is one where public good prevails over private interest, where we all feel not excluded. It is
not malls, but public spaces and parks that define it. It has places for people to walk and
to be with other people. It gives people needed spaces to play. It does not make some people
feel inferior. It looks out for the most vulnerable citizens: elderly, children, disabled.”
- Enrique Penalosa, former mayor of Bogota (Colombia) and a champion of public spaces
O
ur understanding of ─ and the government’s policy on ─ housing and
habitat needs to change. When we think of a house, we generally think of
a space bounded by the four, or (if we are privileged) more, walls of our
own individual dwelling. But is that ‘living space’ sufficient to satisfy the needs of
living a healthy, happy, full and fulfilling life? If not, can a house be comprehended
in isolation from its close and not-so-close neighbourhood? Don’t people need
easy access in their vicinity to open and green spaces ─ parks, gardens, walkways,
playgrounds, promenades, etc, ─ where they can relax, read, play, exercise,
do yoga, dance, sing, have concerts, meet neighbours and friends, strike new
friendships with strangers, or simply rejoice in the sight of children having fun?
Or, quite simply, isn’t there a need to escape from the claustrophobic confines of
one’s own home and breathe some fresh air, a resource most Mumbaikars are so
scarcely endowed with?
Housing and habitat, therefore, must be understood holistically. In addition to
minimum per capita livable private space, it must also mean maximum possible
and equitably accessible per capita public space for all citizens. Just as a house
without a toilet is incomplete, an affront to one’s dignity and an indicator of
1
serious deprivation, a house and a neighbourhood without adequate open and green spaces is also an impediment to a better
life for all.
Our housing and habitat policy, especially in urban areas, must incorporate public places as an inviolable parameter.
Sadly, most of our politicians as well as bureaucrats believe that open and green spaces are a luxury that poor and middle-
class families do not need. They seem to think: “Shouldn’t the poor be satisfied if they have a roof over their head?” The
unstated assumption is that only the rich are entitled to this luxury. Which is why, in all the governmental talk of ‘Housing
for All’, in all the much-trumpeted (but poorly implemented) mass housing schemes, there is scarcely any mention of the
mandatory provision of open and green spaces.
Even the not so poor in large cities ─ Mumbai being a prime example ─ are deprived of access to open and green spaces.
Since urban planners are not required, by law, to make this provision in land development or re-development projects, private
builders maximise the gains for themselves by minimising the open and green spaces available to apartment owners. Thus,
even the upper-middle class families residing in non-slum habitats in Mumbai are condemned to living in claustrophobic
conditions.
So who in Mumbai has the monopoly over open and green spaces? To know the answer, turn to the highlighted fact on
Page 21 of this report. “The combined membership numbers of all the clubs and gymkhanas in the city excludes over 99.9 %
of all Mumbaikars, while hiving off well over 17% of the total public open space (to the remaining 0.1% of the population).”
This begets the question: Who has access to the few large public open spaces still left in the city ─ Mahalaxmi Race Course,
Royal Willingdon Sports Club, Bombay Gymkhana, the multiple gymkhanas on Marine Drive, Wodehouse Gymkhana…?
Only the super-rich. As a matter of fact, the long leases on many of these public spaces have expired long ago. However, the
authorities in state and municipal governments are so lenient towards the transgressors that these public spaces continue to
be under illegitimate private occupation.
It is ignorant to think this is true only for the old (British-era) public open spaces. Look at how the city’s political strongmen
have grabbed new open spaces. As this report mentions: “Alarmingly, the MCGM allowed these public spaces to be converted
into member-exclusive enclaves through blatant misuse of political power and authority. The Matoshree Arts and Sports
Club at Jogeshwari is a prominent example of public land lost by the MCGM to private interests.”
What is the outcome of this for the common people of Mumbai? Our report states: “Such privatisation of public open
spaces further reduces the effective open space per capita (from 1.1 sq m) to a miserable 0.8 sq m.”
As a result, Mumbai has the lowest per capita open public space among global cities of comparable population. Look at the
comparative figures: Tokyo 3.96 sq m; Chicago 17.6 sq m; New York 26.4 sq m; and London 31.68 sq m.
If per capita availability of public spaces were a criterion of democracy, Mumbai would be adjudged as one of the most
undemocratic cities in India and the world.
Who are the losers? Certainly not the super-rich. In addition to having privileged access to gymkhanas, they also have the
means to go to beaches and hill stations, in India and abroad, whenever they want. The losers are common Mumbaikars. The
worst hit by this spatial inequality are children (who have no space to play) and the elderly (who have no space to socialise or
to go for walks to keep themselves fit).
All this, and much more in this report, justifies its title: ENDANGERED Future of Mumbai’s OPEN SPACES.
This report does not simply describe the problem; it also presents solutions. In addition to the ones already mentioned, I
would like to place five more ideas for the consideration of readers ─ and policy makers.
1) Equity, equity, equity… this should be the Constitutional and legislative directive for all aspects of urbanisation ─
housing, transportation, access to cultural and leisure amenities, and, of course, access to green and open spaces.
2) No housing project should be cleared without a holistic plan for the provision of open and green spaces in the
neighbourhood. Exceptions can be made only in rare and justifiable cases.
2 / Foreword
Introduction The image of Mumbai city
3) The concept of transit-oriented development (TOD), which has so been limited to development of residential and
commercial spaces near railway or bus stations, should be extended to TOD of public open spaces. This will enable, especially,
working people to access them as part of their travel routine.
4) As Jan Gehl tells us, public life should be the main driver for urban design. Moreover, he tells us, urban design in
general and design of public spaces in particular should be supportive of “multi-sensory experiences”, where all senses are
pleased. Therefore, just as people pay attention to interior design of their homes, governments and communities should pay
utmost attention to (first protecting and) enhancing the aesthetic, social, historical and heritage experience of public spaces.
This is necessary to help people enjoy their cities to their fullest potential, develop themselves as well-rounded human beings
and citizens, promote community caring and solidarity, and feel proud of their cities and their nation.
5) Mumbai today (under the jurisdiction of MCGM) is only a small part of the vastly expanded urban conglomerate.
Mumbai under MCGM, Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, etc, forms a seamlessly integrated and well-connected
megapolis. Indeed, the area (4,355 sq km) under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is
ten times larger than the area (437.71 sq km) under the jurisdiction of MCGM. Therefore, the future development of the vast
MMR area provides both a good scope and an excellent opportunity to create large, medium-sized and small-sized parks,
gardens, maidans, waterfronts, etc., in an evenly distributed and equitable manner. This calls for holistic and integrated
planning of land use, transportation, housing, cultural, commercial and work spaces.
Finally, the following words of John Muir (1838-1914), America’s legendary explorer, conservationist and evangelist of
preservation of Nature Parks, should serve as a guide for urban planners and policy makers.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where
Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.”
***
I heartily commend my colleagues Gautam Kirtane, Sayli Udas Mankikar and Dwip Rachchh for
authoring this well-researched report on an important subject for the future of Mumbai. I do hope
the authorities, elected representatives, civil society stakeholders and the media give its contents and
recommendations serious consideration.
Critical feedback from readers is most welcome.
3
Photo Credit (PC): Farah Mahbub

5
Photo Credit (P.C): Farah Mahbub

Introduction
The image
of Mumbai City
M
umbai once hailed as the left Mumbai with many important
Urbs Prima in Indis, no lessons and a desire to be a global city.
longer owns that image. The image of Mumbai that
Urban India is racing ahead at breath- Mumbaikars have become accustomed
taking speed and slow-movers like to is full of dust, smoke, heat, congestion,
Mumbai have already fallen behind on discomfort, squalor and ugliness. It has
many fronts. More than a decade ago, become their idea of a city and their
the Mumbai Transformation dream lives and lifestyles have evolved around
was presented in all its grandeur with chaos, shabbiness and monotony that
the vision of a modern megapolis is central to the image of Mumbai. The
at par with the best in the world. hopelessness has prevailed for so long,
Shanghai was set as the benchmark that it has numbed the city’s sense of
and the entire city, state and central imagination. Citizens can no longer see
government machinery pushed for the great potential of public spaces even
glory. The result was a mixed bag in their own neighbourhoods as simple
with only partial success. Yet, it sources of joy, happiness and fitness.
7
Why Mumbai needs an open space per capita2 which is also Mumbai city and Suburan Collectorates,
integrated and comprehensive inadequate in its quality and offerings. the Education and Sports Department,
policy for the management Being an island-city, Mumbai does the Mumbai Metropolitan Region
of all its public open spaces not have the luxury of acquiring more Development Authority (MMRDA),
Since the turn of the millennium, the natural land to improve the per capita and even Central Government agencies
management of public open spaces has open space. It must, therefore, work including the Railways and the
taken centre stage on the agenda and more efficiently with what little it Mumbai Port Trust. Predictably, there
priority lists of national, regional and has - plan it better, maintain it better appears to be little or no coordination
local governments across the world. and manage it better. Contrary to between these co-owners of Mumbai’s
This global trend stems from the proven expectations, an alarming share of POS. These islands of jurisdiction are
role of well-planned, well-designed Mumbai’s public open spaces have a big impediment to the integrated
and well-managed public spaces in been subjected to neglect and spatial planning and efficient management.
making cities more liveable. This is degradation over the years. They The MCGM has tried in the past to
especially true of developing nations have become unsafe and unfriendly. put in place some policies on open
where cities are frequently associated Even iconic places associated with spaces. These have focussed exclusively
with high population densities, large Indian Freedom Movement, like on outsourcing the funding, design,
informal settlements and social Azad Maidan, have been heavily management and maintenance of select
inequity. It is all the more important encroached and reduced to eyesores. POS. This approach has often come at
for large regional metropolises like Most of the state government-owned the cost of democratic public access
Mumbai to institute ambitious and plots have been given on long lease to and, in some cases, resulted in total
proactive policies for the management private parties before Independence. and permanent loss of prime public
of Public Open Spaces (POS). By and large, the sense of ownership space3. No policy to date has spoken of
Municipal Corporation of Greater and community associated with these a holistic and people centric
Mumbai (MCGM) has often attracted places has all but vanished. Amid management of POS. Rather, these
criticism for its approach to public all the squalor, the minority affluent policies have been reactive, piecemeal
spaces in the past, particularly its ill- population has carved out member- and unconvincing. A quick comparison
conceived policy attempts. Despite exclusive clubs and gymkhanas for their with successful and liveable city across
setbacks, to simply keep going without own recreation. The common man for the developed and developing
realistic goals and targets would whom these luxuries are out of reach world reveals a farsighted vision
be a grave injustice to millions of has continued to suffer from shrinking complimented with rigorous planning
Mumbaikars. This injustice is amplified and total degeneration of the city’s once- and implementation New York and
in the case of the urban poor with over bountiful and democratic public spaces. Bogota spring to mind. Political and
60% of Mumbaikars living in informal Islands of jurisdiction within the bureaucratic will has often been a
settlements1. To them, these spaces are city of Mumbai further compound the catalyst for making cities
often their drawing rooms, their places problems of managing its open spaces. both liveable and sustainable.
to socialise and their only avenues Besides the MCGM, which owns and In recent years, citizen-activism has
for health and fitness. For a city that manages just under half of the city’s reached an all-time high and many
commands some of the most expensive POS, the remainder is owned by the new infrastructure projects have
real estate in the world, it offers a a number of other government and seen strong and resolute opposition
disgraceful 1m2 (approximately) of parastatal agencies including the from citizens, lobbyists and key
1 Report on Draft development Plan-2034 ( May 2016)

2 id
3 Nandgaonkar Satish, An SOS for the city’s open spaces, THE HINDU, (december 07, 2015)

is not available for the management suggest a vision matched by a policy

of state and central government framework for the planning and
plots, many of which are in a pathetic management of Mumbai’s POS. Such
condition. a policy must promote healthy social
Despite having the largest annual interaction and human contact in
budget for any Indian city, the funds order to build identity, ownership,
allocated for open spaces account for cultural and social capital, all of which,
only 1.3%. Each year, only a fraction in turn, are the threads that weave
of this allocation is consumed and the fabric of a city and a nation. Only
a substantial share is left unused. then can we aspire to have truly
In the year 2014-15, only 30% of democratic public spaces where
the allocated Rs 362 crore was used5. people can interact without
A critical document that determines discrimination of any kind.
the long-term fate of public open There is an urgent need to
spaces is the Development Plan (DP) seamlessly integrate the planning
of Mumbai that is refreshed every and management of all built and
20 years. The last DP expired in unbuilt public spaces including
2014 and the new document is still footpaths, promenades, beaches,
to be finalised as of May 2017 owing public markets, public monuments
to several disagreements with key of art, history and culture, and
stakeholders. The draft DP aims the grossly underutilised and
to quadruple the per capita open neglected water fronts and river
space6 from 1 m2 to 4 m2. While banks of the city irrespective of
this ambition is welcome, its roll-out ownerships and jurisdictions.
A vintage photo of the iconic Marine may prove to be ineffective or even This report intends to hold up
Drive, Mumbai’s premiere promenade” counter-productive in the absence a mirror to the city and the city
|| P.C: Late. Sharda Dwivedi
of a sound open spaces policy. government about the present state
As a part of this study, ORF of affairs and to provide a roadmap
Mumbai conducted an exhaustive for its transformation from the
stakeholder groups. This opposition survey across the city of Mumbai ground up. We believe that public
stems from a large trust deficit representing all key stakeholder spaces are the single most important
between the MCGM and Mumbaikars. groups to better understand the asset of a city that constitute its
In Mumbai, this apathy towards open problems and aspirations of citizens image and strongly contribute to the
spaces perhaps stems from it being a concerning POS. The survey threw physical and mental well-being of its
discretionary function4 of the MCGM. up some predictable and some citizens.
Most POS owned by the MCGM are interesting responses. For example, After all, to be a Mumbaikar is to be
managed by its Garden’s Department. Mumbaikars don’t appreciate the amongst Mumbaikars and experience
An estimated 600 personnel work use of public space for political the richness and diversity through
dedicatedly with this department. rallies and many want WiFi in parks. its people and places.
Such trained and dedicated staff It is the objective of this study to
4 S. 63 (d) The Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888

5 Lukose Anjali, Only 7% fund utilised by MCGM gardens department, Indian Express, (January 31, 2015)
6 Report on Draft development Plan-2034 ( May 2016)
9
P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar

10 / Open spaces in numbers
Open spaces
in numbers
T
here are a number of influential OVERVIEW:
stakeholders for POS in The total available POS in
Mumbai. These include its Mumbai stands at 1,538 Ha (3,780
owners, managers, users and abusers acres/ 1,53,80,000 m2)7. This gives
from inside and outside the system. Mumbaikars an abysmally low average
In order to fully appreciate the of 1.28 m2 of open space per capita8.
issues surrounding open spaces in The MCGM owns only 43 percent of the
Mumbai, it is useful to have some total POS9 amounting to 534 Ha (1,322
background information on the acres). The remainder is owned by
numbers at the heart of this discussion. state and central government agencies.
7 Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Greater Mumbai, Executive summary, http://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlroadsdocs
(30th December 2016)

8 Report on Draft development Plan-2034 (May 2016) page no. 441.
9 MCGM website http://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlgarden1 (30th December 2016)
11
OWNERSHIP OF POS DISTRIBUTION OF POS

MCGM’s Share of Open Space in Mumbai (AREA IN ACRES)
(Area in Acres)
Swimming 12.8
0%
Pool
30.6
1% Promenade
241.9
Beach 6%
1322 422.5 Clubs &
11% Gymkhanas
2458 MCGM owned Recreation 718.8
Ground 19%
Parks and
1076.4
Other Owners Garden
29%
1277.3
34%
Playground
POS - Public Open Spaces

TOTAL 3,780 acres
we are left with playgrounds, recreation
The total available POS in grounds, parks, gardens, beaches and
Mumbai stands at promenades. This brings the effective

open space down to 1m2 per capita.
1,538 Ha
The above graphic shows that
playgrounds, parks and gardens, and
recreation grounds make up over 80%
This gives Mumbaikars an of the total open spaces in Mumbai
across all owners. However, one
abysmally low average of would be hard-pressed to outline the
1.28
differences between these categories
m2
of open spaces. This ambiguity exists
because the MCGM has not defined
of open space per capita these categories on the basis of any

tangible criteria. Such definitions
must necessarily draw from a
In fact, It is interesting to note that of institutions like gymkhanas, and needs assessment and must be a
the State Government, represented by as such, these tend to be member- prerequisite for any policy on POS.
the Revenue Department, has a large exclusive enclaves which are neither Being a coastal city, Mumbai
share of land ownership. However, democratic nor freely accessible. is blessed with over 240 acres of
a significant portion of this land has Now, if one does away with the area beaches10. These beaches have been
been given on long leases prior to accounted for by storm water drains, an integral part of this city’s history but
Independence. Today, many such cemeteries, sewage treatment plants have lately fallen into a state of disarray.
lands remain in private possession and some other inaccessible open space, Years of neglect and government
10 Existing Land Use report, MCGM, http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlddevplan (3rd January 2017)

CLASSIFICATION OF MCGM-OWNED LANDS

(ACRES)
556.2 Recreation Ground 42%
382.0 Play Ground 29%
249.7 Garden 19%
68.4 Parks 5%
68.4 Others 5%
TOTAL 1,068 acres
apathy have reduced these priceless, around the world have used their inclusion of waterfront promenades
golden waterfronts to poorly accessible, beaches as a tourist attraction and as a as POS. For several decades, these
garbage strewn, slum-infested and focal point of community engagement. have been the pride of the city and
often unsafe places. Even the two most Sadly the civic administration has its points of convergence. Indeed,
prominent beaches at Girgaum and shown no regard for Mumbai’s waterfront promenades at Gateway
Juhu have been spatially degraded, beaches and their deplorable existence. of India, Marine Drive, Haji Ali,
encroached and reduced their offerings The 240 acres of beaches shown in Worli Sea Face, Bandra Reclamation,
to public eateries with a sea view. Most the graphic above are calculated at Bandstand and Carter Road are
beaches and waterfronts in Mumbai the highest high tide line. This means an inseparable part of Mumbai’s
have large sewage outfalls that empty that the total beach area increases identity. More and more footpaths
on or very close to the coastline. They significantly as the tide recedes. and waterfronts must be treated as
are associated with foul, repulsive Unfortunately, most beaches in the city public open spaces and designed and
odours and nobody in their right minds are poorly planned and managed. Even managed suitably for such an ambition.
would voluntarily enter the sea in Juhu Beach, the largest beach in the The MCGM owns 1068 plots in
Mumbai for swimming and recreation. city, has very limited number of access Mumbai. Of these, 120 are in the
The sad part is that the lack of healthy points. Others like the Prabhadevi process of being repossessed from
public spaces sees Mumbaikars Beach, Dadar Beach and Mahim private adopters. The remaining 948
frequently perched on these sewage Beach remain relatively unknown are in possession of MCGM. 107 are
outfalls to enjoy the sea view or on the to most Mumbaikars even today. maintained by the MCGM, while
concrete tetrapods strewn across the Beaches and indeed all waterfronts 841 are contracted out. These 1068
much of Mumbai’s coastline that have of this island city need to be activated plots also include 9 plots which
robbed the island city of its beauty and and treated like precious assets. were given out by the MCGM on
the coastline of its innocence. Cities A welcome change is to see the caretaker agreements, but have since
13
CLASSIFICATION OF MCGM OWNED PLOTS BY SIZE

(AREA IN ACRES)
109 203
0.5-1
1-2
85 164
4 Less Than 0.5

2-3
50-70
101
14
100 3-4
30-50 102
187
4-5
TOTAL 1,068 acres /
10-30
5-10
43,22,043 square meters
Acre to square meter conversion: (1 acre= 4046.86 square meters)
Few open spaces of Mumbai in numbers:
Horniman Circle Garden= 12,021 square meters ( 2.97 acres)
Joggers Park, Bandra West- 16,600.50 square meters ( 4.10 acres)
Late Shri. N. G. Ahcarya Udyan (Diamond Garden) Chembur- 9,798.00 square meters ( 2.42 acres)

Ward Areas WARD-WISE DISTRIBUTION OF

A
Colaba, Nariman
Pt, Churchgate POS IN MUMBAI (MCGM OWNED
B
Dongri,
Umarkhadi
SPACES ONLY)(AREA IN SQUARE METERS)
Bhuleshwar,
C A B C D E FN FS GN GS HE HW KE KW L ME MW N PN PS RC RN RS S T
Marine Lines
Tardeo,
D Walkeshwar,
112389.77
19364
29114
124971
143233.18
236112.89
147759.81
137475.05
97236.69
62505.36
242462.69
332775.4
417982.55
244959.6
187936.25
228436.5
165659.93
339908.05
277476.4
410640.53
286785.2
476068.71
332664.16
299077.97
Altamount Rd
E Mazgaon, Byculla
Matunga, Sion,
F South
Dharavi
Parel, Sewri,
F North
Naigaon
Worli,
G South
Prabhadevi
G North Dadar, Mahim
Bandra E,
H East
Santacruz E
Bandra and
H West
Santacruz West
Vile Parle East,
K East
Jogeshwari East
Andheri West, WARD-WISE PER CAPITA POS IN MUMBAI
K West
Vile Parle West
(MCGM OWNED SPACES ONLY)
Kurla,
L
Chunabhatti (AREA IN SQUARE METERS)
Deonar,
M East
Mankhurd
Chembur,
M West
Tilak Nagar
Ghatkopar,
N
Vidyavihar
Goregaon,
P South
Aarey Colony
Malad East,
P North
Malad West
Kandivali,
R South
Charkop, Poisar
R Borivali,
Central Magathane
Bhandup,
0.152125069
0.175215604
0.360286105
0.446309481
0.409338702
0.229492654
0.257410847
0.112169751
0.788288906
0.403910012
0.558286696
0.232674999
0.554601559
0.265969547
0.361079591
0.598645544
0.730466538
0.664827247
0.688727918
0.447259698
0.875872261
S
0.36419598
0.27150611
Vikhroli
0.6074663
Dahisar,
R North
Mandapeshwar
T Mulund, Nahur A B C D E FN FS GN GS HE HW KE KW L ME MW N PN PS RC RN RS S T
15
The per capita POS in each at least be proportional to its size and
population. It is acknowledged that
ward cannot be arithmetically

owing to a number of variables and
circumstances, the per capita POS in
each ward cannot be arithmetically
equal. Yet an eight-fold equal. Yet, an eight-fold disparity
between the highest and the lowest
disparity between the highest wards is unacceptable. The MCGM

must identify wards with significantly
and the lowest wards is lower per capita open spaces and
work towards decreasing the gap.
unacceptable.
As we have seen the per capita open
space which started at 1.28 m2/person
on paper, was effectively reduced when
calculated as truly accessible open space.
The value quickly fell below 1m2/capita
been embroiled in legal battles with official policy that prescribes specific but there is still one more important
MCGM contesting possession. While treatment to open spaces based on stakeholder that dents this number
calculating the total open spaces in the their size. This means that a park even further down below 0.8m2/capita.
city, the MCGM has included storm measuring 500 m2 will be treated in Member-exclusive clubs and
water drains, cemeteries, road lines and the same way as a park measuring gymkhanas account for 171 Ha (423
the Mayor’s Bungalow among others11. 10,000 m2 in a one-size-fits-all acres) of public space12. These
These spaces, for all practical purposes, approach. This inevitably leads to gross very gymkhanas and private clubs
are inaccessible to the general public underutilisation of the open spaces in including the Royal Willingdon
or cannot be enjoyed as open spaces. Mumbai. MCGM must abolish this lazy, Sports Club, Bombay Gymkhana,
As mentioned earlier, the existing cookie-cutter approach to ensure that multiple gymkhanas on Marine Drive,
classification of open spaces as parks, all open spaces are optimally utilised. Wodehouse Gymkhana, Princess
gardens, green belts and recreational The ward-wise distribution of open Victoria Mary Gymkhana have come
grounds is ad hoc and serves no spaces highlights the great disparity up on public land, whose original long-
practical purpose. Unless the MCGM between the various wards of Mumbai leases (99 years) have expired. Many of
can define and distinguish between when it comes to POS. It is important to these gymkhanas are housed in heritage
these by allocating certain (occasionally note that wards B & C fare very poorly structures with legacies spanning more
over lapping) purposes to these places, on total open spaces and per capita than a century. In recent years, there
framing a beneficial and comprehensive open space. For inhabitants of these has been much discussion and debate
policy will be an uphill battle. wards, the Marine Drive Promenade on repossession of these properties.
The plots owned by the MCGM, vary and Chowpatty Beach, in A & D But a trust deficit concerning the
significantly in size ranging from 0.5 wards respectively, have become their government’s abilities to protect these
acres to 70 acres as seen in the graphic. default open spaces despite requiring ‘freed’ public spaces and guarantee
Presently, MGCM does not take this significant effort to reach them. their just and democratic use by the
range into consideration through any The available POS in any ward must common man remains in question.
11 MCGM website http://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlgarden1 (30th December 2016)

12 Existing Land Use report, MCGM, http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlddevplan (3rd January 2017)

These fears of misuse by the public open spaces across the city. The This has led to their encroachment
government are not entirely unfounded. principal approach of the government and spatial degradation, making them
Adding to these 171 Ha are at least 9 must focus on bringing the rest of city’s unfit for consistent and safe use by
other plots admeasuring 98 Ha (98,558 open space and sports facilities at par pedestrians across the city. In a city
square meters) that are owned by the and in excess of what is offered by these where more than half of the trips are
MCGM. Unlike the pre-independence gymkhanas today. The MCGM’s own undertaken exclusively on foot and
leases of the Collector’s plots, these were gymkhana at Azad Maidan is a great a bulk of the remainder depend on
leased out around 1991 to influential place to start. Built for the benefit of the suburban rail system, Mumbai’s
and politically-connected individuals municipal workers, it stands as an landscape is heavily dominated by
under a dubious caretaker agreement eyesore in Mumbai’s premier heritage cars. This fetish for more motor
conceived by the MCGM. Alarmingly, precinct and its sports infrastructure vehicles has cost the city dearly. Many
the MCGM allowed these public spaces is pathetic. The MCGM must begin transport projects tend to focus on car
to be converted into member-exclusive by making its own gymkhana a infrastructure. There is a parking crisis
enclaves through a blatant abuse of model sports facility that is worthy in the city and footpaths across Mumbai
power and authority. The Matoshree of patronage by its senior officials have now become standard parking lots.
Arts and Sports Club at Jogeshwari is including the Municipal Commissioner The inclusion of pavements in
a prominent example of public land himself. They must open it up on any open spaces policy can be a
lost by the MCGM to private interests. a pay-per-use basis to the general great strategy for not only adding
The combined membership numbers public while guaranteeing fair and more per capita open space, but also
of all the clubs and gymkhanas in the city exclusive usage by its own employees. to connect the city’s public spaces
amounts to a negligible percent of the – stitching together a bigger and
city’s population. It easily excludes over Status of excluded POS more integrated image of the city.
99.9% of all Mumbaikars while hiving The MCGM does not consider
off well over 17% of the total public open pavements as public open spaces.
space. Such privatisation of public open
space further reduces the effective open
space per capita to a miserable 0.8 m2.
Is it not a great injustice then that food
and beverage, sport and fitness, and
The combined membership
entertainment are highly subsidised numbers of all the clubs and
for the wealthiest of society at the cost,
resource and expense of the common gymkhanas in the city
man plagued by abysmally low living
standards? In order to restore equality,
excludes over
all citizens must be provided equal
opportunity to access similar facilities
at an affordable price. This inequality
99.9%
cannot be fixed by repossession of of all Mumbaikars while hiving
lands alone. Indeed this will be a very
small factor. These gymkhanas must be off well over
17%
made accessible to talented youngsters
focussed on sports. Over time these
institutions and gymkhanas must also
contribute their resources and expertise
for the betterment of the remaining
of the total public open space
17

18 / MCGM’s open spaces journey
MCGM’s open
spaces journey
T
he Bombay Municipal playgrounds, recreation grounds, road
Corporation was founded in line green areas, reclaimed spaces and
1888 with the formulation of even cemeteries in the city, owned
the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act by the MCGM fall under the ambit of
1888. From 1888 to 1947 during the this department. The total open space,
British Rule, the Bombay Presidency around 1300 acres, is roughly the size
maintained and protected all the open of 588 international football pitches. In
spaces in the city. The upkeep of gardens order to understand the history of open
was never a mandatory duty and yet it spaces and the Garden Department, it
was efficiently carried out using the is necessary to first look at the history
presidency’s own funds. The Garden of Mumbai’s development and how
Department of the MCGM which is the open spaces were marked and planned.
principal department dealing with the In response to the plague epidemic
upkeep and maintenance of open spaces of 1898 during the British Rule, the
took shape approximately 50 years Bombay City Improvement Trust
ago with 600 municipal employees. (CIT) was created and all vacant
Today 1068 gardens, parks, lands in the city in possession of the
19
2007
MCGM introduces
2007
RGPG policy
Chief Minister stays

216 plots given
on adoption 1991
the RGPG policy. Caretaker Policy
Existing agreements 9 plots given out
remain unchanged
THE OPEN 2017

Policy
remains in
limbo
SPACES POLICY Policy yet to
be discussed in
JOURNEY the MCGM
2015
MCGM re-
introduces
Adoption Policy.
2016
Interim Open
Policy stayed due Spaces Policy is
2015
to mass protest introduced
from citizen groups in the house
CM Fadnavis
orders all adopted
plots to be
repossessed.

accordance with the 1967 Development
The Garden Department of the

Plan. This was also the period when
Mumbai was seeing rapid urbanisation
resulting into a population explosion
MCGM which is the principal unmatched by housing supply which
today has resulted in over 60% of
department dealing with the its residents staying in informal

settlements. So even though, the
upkeep and maintenance open spaces were marked on the DP,

not all the lands were aquired by the
of open spaces took shape

MCGM. While all these developments
were taking place, there was no effort
on part of the MCGM to augment the
approximately 50 years ago Garden Department and its priority
within the civic body began to decline.
starting with 600 municipal In its development plan of 1991 the

MCGM acknowledged its inability
employees. to acquire the stipulated number of

open spaces within its own resources.
It admitted that lack of money and
low priority levels has led to this. It
government and municipal corporation made provisions for reserving plots introduced concepts like Transferable
were handed over to this body. The for open spaces, which the MCGM Development Rights (TDR) to
CIT undertook a host of measures to acquired under the Maharashtra create more POS while sparing the
improve sanitary and living conditions Regional Town and Planning (MRTP) exchequer. Under the TDR scheme,
in the city, and planned the opening Act, 1966. Private plots earmarked private owners could surrender lands
up of suburbs. It also prepared a for open spaces like gardens, parks, under reservation to the MCGM in
development plan for both Mumbai playgrounds and recreation grounds lieu of Floor Space Index (FSI) in
and its suburbs, which had mixed were to be acquired by the MCGM’s another part north of the city. The
land-use that included open spaces. Estates Department, depending on its TDR could also be sold to developers
Till this juncture, most of Mumbai’s necessity and the availability of funds. or used for construction for additional
developed area was restricted to Around the same time, the Garden built up area. Several construction-
South and Central Mumbai which got Department was in its nascent stages focused policies were being formulated
extended to the suburban areas in the and employed about 900 people around this time to give a push to
east after the railway line was laid to to maintain, develop, monitor and the real estate sector. This indirectly
Thane. In the western suburbs, the ensure that spaces, which were in their jaded the impetus and priority to
construction of the Mahim causeway possession, were free of encroachment. acquire new POS. The then municipal
connecting Mahim to Bandra on the No land was handed over to private commissioner took the benefit of a
Salsette Island gave an impetus to contractors for maintenance special clause in the 1991 DP where
the development in the same period. or development at this stage. he was given special rights to develop
Around this time, 300 new plots However, the high price for these plots that came into MCGM’s
were carved out in the western and acquisition and the ad-hoc system for possession in lieu of TDR. Under this
eastern suburbs as public open spaces. procurement ensured that Mumbai clause, the commissioner could entrust
The first Development Plan (DP) did not manage to add adequate the development and maintenance of
of Bombay was drawn up in 1967. It public spaces to the city’s landscape in such plots to private parties through
21
More recently the poor management of

In its development plan of open spaces has been explained by the
MCGM as resulting from it being non-
1991 the MCGM acknowledged mandatory duty. This is also used to

justify contracting and outsourcing the
its inability to acquire management of the city’s green spaces.

On September 1, 2012, the
the stipulated number of

government of Maharashtra resolved
that a committee shall be constituted
for preparing a comprehensive policy
open spaces within its own framework for the planning of open
spaces. The committee, chaired by the
resources. Municipal Commissioner comprised

domain experts and representatives
of relevant NGOs. The mandate of
this committee was to put together
comprehensive and uniform guidelines
for the management of POS. This was
special development agreements. possession of the plots has not been to be facilitated by collecting data
Soon, 9 recreation grounds covering reverted. Even today the city has been on open spaces, using maps and by
98,558 square m2 were handed over unable to recover any of the land it lost conducting surveys and site visits. The
to ‘caretakers’. These caretakers overnight owing to the callousness and guidelines would take into account the
were predominantly individuals with mismanagement by the MCGM. The existing policies before furnishing its
political affiliations. Under these MCGM gave away about 20% of its lands recommendations. This committee
agreements the caretakers would to private interests though this policy put forth its report in April 2014. It’s
have to construct public clubs on no causing irreparable and generational recommendations remain on paper.
more than 25% of the open space, loss of open spaces to the city. In 2015, the MCGM tried to revive this
give subsidised memberships to These sour experiences fuelled a policy by claiming to have reintroduced
citizens and leave the remaining citizen-movement in Mumbai that an ‘adoption’ policy, to allot plots
vacant portion of the land as open and led to a policy paralysis. In 2007, the on adoption to private players for
freely accessible to the general public. MCGM formulated new guidelines for their upkeep and maintenance with
Eventually, these caretakers violated allotting plots under the recreation a caveat that no construction would
rules and constructed member- ground/playground reservation be permitted. However, it did include
exclusive clubs on these lands and denied (RGPG Policy). Under this RGPG a backdoor entry for the ‘caretaker’
unrestricted access to non-members. Policy, plots could once again be clause which could have jeopardised
The 2002 MCGM records show that allotted to caretakers through similar the fate of over a dozen more
the municipal corporation moved the development agreements. Citizens plots in favour of private interests.
court after giving eviction notices to protested and the caretaker policy was Once again, citizens joined hands and
two clubs – Matoshree Sports Club in stayed by the government. However, opposed this development and got the
Jogeshwari and Kamala Vihar Sports 216 plots were already given out for policy stalled. The Observer Research
Club in Kandivali. The MCGM had private maintenance under an adoption Foundation Mumbai organised a
alleged that the recreation facilities clause as a part of the same policy. The multi-stakeholder roundtable which
were being misused for political and justification presented for this was the was instrumental in the stalling of
religious purposes. However, despite lack of available manpower and funds to this policy. This event was attended
the court upholding the MCGM’s claim, protect and maintain large open spaces. by the then Additional Municipal

Ashish Shelar, Member of Legislative Assembly(MLA) speaking at ORF’s Multi-Stakeholder roundtable on the open spaces policy
in November 2015 attended by the Additional Municipal Commissioner, MCGM, SVR Srinivas and chaired by ORF Chairman
Sudheendra Kulkarni || P.C: Abhishek Sharma
Commissioner of the MCGM – SVR for the Garden Department, which the multi-stakeholder discussion came
Srinivas, Bharatiya Janata Party’s is struggling with just 600 staffers, it in the form of the State Government
Mumbai Chief - Ashish Shelar and over poses a huge challenge. As of March initially agreeing to amend section 61
25 eminent citizens from Mumbai, 2016, the MCGM had taken back 74 of the MMC Act, 1888 and include the
representing relevant disciplines. A of the 216 plots which were previously operation and maintenance of POS as a
strong demand was made for amending given on adoption, and they were mandatory duty of the MCGM. The state
the MMC Act to make the management hoping that by April 2016, all the urban development ministry accepted
of POS an obligatory duty of the MCGM. spaces would be taken back. In August a private member bill introduced by
Two major milestones followed this 2016, the Chief Minister reignited the Shelar in the monsoon session of 2016
landmark gathering. First, Maharashtra debate by announcing that a handful seeking to amend the MMC Act and
chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis of meritorious private parties will making protection, beautification and
intervened and directed the MCGM to be allowed to adopt open spaces maintenance of recreation grounds,
repossess all the 216 plots previously with a strict no-construction policy playgrounds, and gardens as part
given on adoption. The 9 caretaker and a not-for-profit motive. More of the MCGM’s obligatory duties.
plots continue to be contested in court. recently, the MCGM has initiated the However, no action was taken on
The repossession of the 216 plots process to reclaim another 91 plots. the bill and in the monsoon session
might be good news for citizens, but The second action resulting from of 2016, while answering in the
23
zero hour, Chief Minister Devendra document drew a distinction between were found to be compliant with the
Fadnavis said that the ‘MCGM the adopted plots, previously adopted conditions, they would have the right
civic body is already stretched, and is plots but now under MCGM and plots to refusal for inking fresh adoption
compelled to rope in private players always under MCGM’s ownership. agreements with the MCGM. Once
for maintaining the city’s open spaces.’ All the 128 previously adopted plots, again a 3-step screening and approval
This bill would have ensured that and those currently under MCGM’s process would have to be followed
more funds get diverted towards stewardship were deemed eligible prior to signing fresh agreements.
augmentation and preserving the for new adoption agreements. A set Those plots which did not meet
open spaces which are with the of conditions were established that the published conditions would
MCGM. Obligatory duties are taken screened potential adopters. These continue to remain in the possession
more seriously than discretionary included CSR support and past of the MCGM and be managed and
ones, which have zero accountability. experience as adopters. All these plots administered directly by the MCGM.
In recent years, the MCGM has would be eligible for fresh adoption In order to assuage concerns
consistently shirked its responsibility agreements after a 3-step screening and about misuse, the MCGM specified
with respect to operation and approval process. All new agreements certain binding restrictions on all
maintenance of open spaces. Its would be for a period of 11 months. adoptees. Henceforth all adoptees
controversial policies of adoption and The remaining 940 plots out of 1068 would be unable to commercially
caretaker were also born out of apathy were either in possession of the MCGM exploit the promises, sublet the plot,
and callousness. This amendment or in the possession of adopters who hold any political or other social
would have force-fixed such anomalies. had not handed over their plots. Such functions and be unable to construct
In September 2016, the MCGM plots were screened on parameters any structure on the premises.
presented an interim open spaces concerning designated land use and
policy to break the impasse. The encroachment. If the existing adopters
OPEN SPACES PER PERSON (m2)

UDPFI
Standard
Tokyo 3.96
10-12
1.28
M2 PER
Chicago
17.6
New York City
PERSON 26.4
London
31.68
Mumbai
UDPFI - Urban Development Plans Formulation and Implementation formulated by GOI

OUR ANALYSIS OF THE 2016 INTERIM POLICY

The interim policy was poorly worded and confounding. The policy’s sole
objective was to unload maximum possible plots of land onto adopters
to rid themselves of any responsibility. This, coupled with stringent
conditions and reduced incentives, would ensure that most genuine
adopters would stay away. Specific objections with the policy include:
• Out of the 216 plots that were to be repossessed, only 128 were taken back.
Those adopties who did not hand back got the incentive of right to refusal.
Those that handed it back would be forced to participate in open bidding
with no right to refusal. This incentivises rule breaking and undermines the
authority of the MCGM.
• The published screening criteria are very confusing. The criteria for both
the adopter and the plot are inextricably convoluted with frequently overlapping
conditions.
• The committees, as described by the policy, are predominantly constituted

by officials of the MCGM making a mockery of public participation and
the efforts of the citizens thus far. The 3-step screening at the ward level,
additional municipal commissioners’ level and finally the municipal
commissioners desk, does little towards transparency and seems
entangled in bureaucracy.
• This is again a policy that focuses exclusively on adoption without laying

out any vision or plan for the open spaces in the city. There is no mention of
increased offerings or grand ambitions for the future of these spaces.
In a nutshell, this policy greatly disempowers the adopter and increases

his liability while strongly disincentivising the adoption itself. Conversely,
it places disproportionate powers with the MCGM absolving it of any
undesirable results of these agreements. This policy also minimises to
the greatest extent possible, the MCGM’s financial, administrative and
moral responsibilities towards open spaces and the citizens of Mumbai.
25

26 / Managment and Governance in MCGM
Management and
governance in
the MCGM
M
umbai is divided into 6 lines. One of the four Additional
municipal zones which, in Municipal Commissioners (AMC)
turn, are made up of 24 is given the charge of the gardens
municipal wards. The responsibilities department as one of his many
of the Garden Department are spread responsibilities. The AMC formulates
out across these 6 zones, each of which, policies, draws up new rules, floats
are controlled by a deputy municipal tenders and decides on any changes that
commissioner. Each of the 24 wards is are to do with the Garden Department.
headed by a ward officer (also known However, it is the Joint Municipal
as assistant municipal commissioner). Commissioner (JMC) Gardens, who
The Garden Department is itself headed looks after the daily needs of the
by the Municipal Commissioner. It Garden Department along with the
is tasked with the development and Superintendent of Gardens. The JMC
upkeep of green spaces like gardens, is also in-charge of driving the work
parks, playgrounds, recreation grounds machinery to meet maintenance
and other open spaces like cemeteries, and development targets for the
reclaimed lands and roadside green green spaces within his ambit. In
27
Source: RDDP 2014 - 34 report of the MCGM

Mumbai there are 1,068 spaces spread a vision and planning has led the at the ward level for taking decisions on
across over 1,300 acres, which the Garden Department to face a crisis various civil works to be carried out in
JMC manages along with his staff. situation today. Owing to the decision the ward. He/she is also charged with
The responsibilities of the Garden to reclaim all adopted plots in the city monitoring the gardens in the ward
Department are jointly shared between 600 staff that look after 200 gardens and attending to complaints arising
the ward and zone officials along with and parks will now have to add 216 from the works carried out therein.
the internal staff of the department. plots to their direct responsibilities. As per Right to Information
Depending on their responsibilities, The Assistant Commissioner or (RTI) Act 2005, the horticulture
the internal staff is either located Ward Officer is charged with the assistant is appointed as Public
on field or at their respective ward administration of the ward. He/she Information Officer (PIO) for gardens,
offices. The Garden Department’s monitors, maintains and develops open recreational grounds, and play
own staff manages about 200 parks, spaces after discussion and advice of the grounds in the ward jurisdiction.
whereas, the remainder are maintained JMC and AMC. He/she also consults Mestris, Malis, Labourers and
through paid-contractors. Not all of the Deputy Superintendent of Gardens Sweepers who report to the horticulture
the 600-strong staff are dedicated of the corresponding zone. He/she is assistant of each ward, are responsible
to this department. The absence of also assisted by the Assistant Engineer for trimming, planting, and cleaning
Garden Department Hierarchy
Municipal Commissioner MCGM
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Gardens)
Joint Municipal Commissioner Deputy Municipal Commisioner

(Gardens)
Garden Assistant Commissioner/

Superintendant Ward officer
Deputy
Superintendant
Horticulture (Zones I to VI)
Assistant (Ward)
Mestri
Mali Labour Sweeper
29
that such an important document has

no dedicated section for open spaces.
The word ‘garden’ appears just thrice
in the document with reference to
housing, and creating real estate.
Presently the Garden Department
and the Trees Department are jointly
responsible for greening the city. While
all parks, gardens and playgrounds come
under the jurisdiction of the Garden
Department, the remaining public
open spaces of the city are managed
as an interplay of several departments
and agencies that determine their fate.
For example problems with a tree on
a pavement are dealt with by the tree
authority, but when it comes to the
pavement itself, the road department
Malis working for the MCGM Garden Department pruning and replanting at the famous alone is responsible. While the
Kamla Nehru Park at Malabar Hill || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
maintenance of one playground is with
the collector (since it is owned by the
government and not MCGM), there
duties. The Garden Department been any meaningful and systematic is a traffic island whose greening is
received a major boost in 2015 with attempt for training and capacity done by the roads department jointly
the addition of 66 staffers, mostly building of staff nor any introduction with the traffic police. Open spaces
experts from the fields of botany, of new methods of gardening, falling under the revenue department
horticulture and agriculture specialists or concepts like place making. of the state government, railway
to its team. This was a first-of-its-kind Presently, the Garden Department land, Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT)
effort to build in-house expertise. does not maintain a spatial inventory of land, Mumbai Metropolitan Region
A brief history of the Gardens open spaces and is struggling with GIS Development Agency (MMRDA)
Department reveals multiple mapping and real-time information. and the Maharashtra Industrial
indicators of a reactive, unmotivated Moreover, the department, which is Development Corporation (MIDC)
and a complacent attitude of supposed to be the provider of free have not even featured under the
both the administrative and recreation to the citizens neither has a Mumbai city master plan of the MCGM.
political wing in the MCGM. dedicated website nor any information There is an urgent need to tackle
The staff strength of the garden and updates that can be found on the the problem of overlapping territories
department is very sparse considering MCGM’s website. There is no avenue and responsibilities between the
the magnitude of the work. The for citizens to find out information on authorities and para-statal agencies
number of people dedicatedly working any given park, its location, facilities across spaces. For any and all lands
for the department has dwindled from it provides or if any planned events of belonging to the government, there
900 to 600. There appears to be no interest that are being organised there. needs to be an arrangement with
intention to fill empty posts which In 2005, the MCGM presented its the MCGM whereby planning and
is an indicator of the low priority own vision for the transformation of management of all open spaces is
accorded to this department within Mumbai titled ‘2005-2025 Mumbai seamless, irrespective of jurisdiction.
the MCGM. There has also never City Development Plan’. It is tragic All the departments have their

While at work a sweeper admires an art installation at Carter road, Bandra. || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
separate ways of functioning and are they fulfill the ISO requirements. the quality of services provided and
not governed by a single system where Contractors across 85 gardens in equipment used on such green plots.
their concepts, methods, priorities the western suburbs from Dahisar to The parks are evaluated on three
and budgets are concerned. While it Malad have been working to achieve main criteria - cleanliness, greenery
is true that these departments and ISO standards since 2015. Sardar and safety. There are targets laid
agencies cannot determine each Vallabhbhai Patel Udyan and Khajuria and regular monitoring is mandated
other’s work, there needs to be single Udyan in Kandivali (West) are amongst to ensure they are met. MCGM
strategy for the city that sets standard those that met ISO standards. These officials conduct inspections every
procedures for maintenance and parks were evaluated on three main three months, while an annual ISO
protection of open spaces to ensure criteria - cleanliness, greenery and audit is conducted by a third party.
quality control and uniformity. safety. The MCGM has planned to adopt However, this system should be
these measures in 200 other gardens. tested and its success demonstrated
ISO 9001 certification By doing this, the contractors with the help of third party auditors
In 2015, the department made it hired by the MCGM to look after its including NGOs actively working in
mandatory for contractors of gardens gardens and parks, have to ensure this field prior to a city-wide roll-out.
to get each space ISO 9001 certified. that Quality Management System As of December 2016, the MCGM
This was a positive step towards (QMS) requirements for all areas of the has been unable to implement and
ensuring that the gardens and parks business are met. This QMS includes maintain the desired ISO 9001
in the city meet a certain quality. Also, facilities provided, human resources benchmarks and standards through
the contractors are not paid unless upgrading and training, maintaining its hired contractors across 200 parks.
31

32 / Garden department Budget
Garden Department
budget
E
very year, the MCGM sets crore has been put aside for revenue
ambitious financial targets expenses, which is for operations and
for the city, and dedicates one maintenance of the parks, gardens,
whole page of the commissioner’s playgrounds and recreation grounds
budget speech to the Garden in the city. The remaining Rs 312 crore
Department and Tree Authority. is the projected capital expenditure to
create new gardens and infrastructure.
2016-17 budget: For the year 2016-17, the budget had
For the 2016-17, the total outlay of made a provision of Rs 75 crore from the
the MCGM budget was a massive Rs revenue expenses to take care of those
37,052 crores. Of the budget, Rs 500 216 open spaces that had previously
crore, roughly 1.3% has been set aside been given on adoption agreements.
for the Garden Department13. Rs 188 The interesting element in the
13 MCGM website Data http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlBudget1617 (30th December 2016)
33
Of the 37,032 crores, • Football Ground Near D Mart,
500 crore,
Malad
Rs • Upgradation of Purandare
Stadium, Naigaon, Dadar
roughly 1.3%
• Traffic Park (Model of traffic
concepts for children),
Ghatkopar.
has been set aside for the • Mumbadevi Garden, C Ward,
• Sant Dyaneshawar Maidan,
Garden Department • Aai
Goregaon,
Ekveeradevi Udyan,
Goregaon,
• Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj
current budget is the consideration and volleyball across 150 playgrounds. Kridangan, Govandi
for creating sport facilities, as It has kept aside Rs 46.5 crore for • Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maidan,
recommended by ORF Mumbai in its developing 30 new gardens of which Mulund
first report on the MCGM’s proposed 2 will be in the island city and the rest Besides these new parks, the MCGM
adoption policy in 2015-16. The budget will be distributed across the central, plans to spend Rs 100 crore for
now has provisions for developing western and eastern suburbs of Mumbai. development of a bird park at Powai
facilities for jogging, kabaddi, These include the following: as well.
kho-kho, cricket, football, basketball • Energy Park at Kandivali Unlike most departments, the
Garden Department has always seen
a reverse trend where the projected
capital expenditure is always more
than the revenue expenditure. The
idea is to create more assets, more
gardens or theme parks from the
existing vacant plots after they are
acquired by the Estates Department.
While the provisions made in the
current budget may look adequate, two
important aspects need consideration.
Firstly, an account of the allocated
amounts versus the actual expenditure.
Secondly, the break up between
capital and revenue expenditure and
the tangible impact of these spends.
Actuals spent by the MCGM

against the provisions made for
2014-15.
The MCGM had not updated its
actual expenditure after 2014-15
Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta (center) at the unveiling of the MCGM budget for the nor put it in the public domain till
year 2016-17 || Source: Hindustan Times
December 2016. In the 2014-15 budget,
34 / Garden department Budget

traffic department, it spent Rs 3028

crore against an estimated Rs 3039
crore (less than 1% left unspent).
Similarly, in case of solid waste
management, it spent Rs 1761 crore as
against Rs 1846 crore, which is about
5% left unspent. Further, a large chunk
of the expenditure came in the form of
last-minute contracts that were allotted
hardly two months before the financial
year ended resulting in several garden
works remaining incomplete. This
shows a lack of systemised planning
and consistent goal setting. It is at
best an attempt to placate citizens
that the MCGM has been investing
into the cause of open spaces.
Out of 62 gardens which were
Children’s play area at Bandra’s Joggers Park. This garden which was previously a garbage proposed to be developed in 2015-
dump was revived in the 1990s with the efforts of the citizens along with local corporator 16, development works of 28 gardens
Oliver Andrade || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
were completed by February 2016,
whereas, 34 remained incomplete.
Also provisions like the Powai Bird
the capital expenditure was projected at (67%). The overall spending was Rs 249 Park have found repeated mentions in
Rs 362 crore while the actual spending crore, of the allocated 643 crore which is the past budgets since 2013 without
was only Rs 94 crore (30%). Similarly, only 39% of the total budgeted amount. fruition. This shows that much of the
the projected revenue expenses for the Across departments of the MCGM, capital expenditure provided for had
department were Rs 188 crore while the such a low percentile is rare and been left unspent and that several
department actually spent Rs 120 crore unacceptable. In case of roads and allocations are often meaningless.
The following table shows budget estimates for the Garden Department
for the past 4 years:
Year Estimated capital exp Estimated revenue exp Total estimated budget
2016-17 188.03 312.20 500.23
2015-16 144.28 294.91 439.19
2014-15 167.64 362.17 529.81
2013-14 187.11 213.11 400.22
*All values are in crores
35
36 / Citizen-centric spaces
Citizen-centric
spaces
M
umbaikars have always Garden in South Mumbai, Joggers
been at the forefront of the Park at Bandra, and Dhote Maidan
public open spaces debate. at Mahim, which were all highly
Time and again, concerned citizens degraded before their interventions.
across the city have come together to When we talk of open spaces, it
oppose draconian policies floated by would be unfair to not mention the
the MCGM on open spaces, pushing contributions of multiple Advanced
authorities to move towards better Locality Managements (ALMs)
management of our parks, gardens, in Mumbai. The concept of ALMs
playgrounds and recreation grounds. involves a group of residents from
Several citizen groups and activists a common locality who work in
have been responsible for envisaging partnership with MCGM to monitor
some of the well-maintained and their neighbourhoods. The concept,
widely-used open spaces in the initially introduced to encourage
metropolis. Their efforts have turned decentralised solid waste segregation
around spaces like the Oval Maidan, and management, has extended to
Cross Maidan, Horniman Circle not only neighbourhood watches, but
37
Horniman Circle Garden in Fort, one of the best models of citizen participation in open spaces is a favourite spot for activities like art shows
and open air plays during the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. || Source: http://wikimapia.org/
also to the adoption of nearby parks

and gardens. From 1998, Mumbai
Since 1998, Mumbai has seen the formation of 658 ALM’s

across 24 wards14 which have assumed
has seen the formation the role of neighbourhood watchdogs.
658 ALMs
What has been unique to Mumbai,
are consolidated people’s movements
of across the city which ensured that
across all 24 wards

public spaces remained open and
accessible to all. Let us look at two big
citizen movements in the realm of open
which have assumed spaces during the past decade which

changed the cityscape of Mumbai.
the role of neighbourhood Citizen protests against caretaker

watchdogs and adoption clauses:
The first big public protest took place
in 2007 when the MCGM wanted to
hand over 49 open spaces, each above
14 MCGM website Data http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlvarprg (30th Dec 2016)
N.G. Acharya Udyan better known as Diamond Garden is one of the most vibrant and green open spaces in Chembur which is now known
for its open gyms || P.C: Swarup Pandit
15,000 m2, to private developers only for upkeep and maintenance and asked the MCGM to repossess
through caretaker policy. The caretaker with no construction allowed. all plots given out for adoption and
clause would allow construction of clubs However, one section of the MCGM to start looking after them with
on these plots, which would become document permitted old adoptees, municipal funds. This approach was
member-exclusive enclaves disallowing having spent over Rs 3 crore on their reconsidered by the Chief Minister
free public access. Following a public plots in the past few years to build later in 2016, who further directed
outcry, the state government ordered a facilities like clubs on them. More the MCGM to draft a fresh policy15.
stay on the policy in November 2007. than a dozen adoptees would have
In 2015, the MCGM tried to revive been eligible for this extraordinary and Success stories:
the stayed policy by claiming to have exclusive access to yet more public land. Apart from the success of citizen
brought in an ‘adoption’ policy, and Once again, citizens joined hands activism, there are also success stories
keeping the caretaker clause out. and got the policy stalled. But this of direct action by citizens. Citizen-
Under the adoption clause, a plot time around, the government in run spaces listed below make up the
would be entrusted to private players January 2016, went a step further highlight reel. These are stories of
15 Fadnavis U-turn: okay to give open spaces to pvt. parties THE HINDU http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/news/
Fadnavis-U-turn-okay-to-give-open-spaces-to-pvt.-parties/article14510348.ece (27th July 2016)
39
Jogger’s Park at Bandra, apart from being a regular walking and jogging destination for locals, attracts a lot of children over the weekends
for the animals and birds it houses || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
how people turned around public the makeover. Trees were planted popularly known as Diamond Garden
gardens and parks into vibrant, all over with well-laid walkways and at Chembur, realised that this garden,
accessible places. While we enumerate the garden was completed in 1872. which was once the pride of the locality,
these examples, it is important to More than a century later, in the had tuned into a no-go zone. The place
understand that an interplay of several 1980s, the garden started deteriorating named after a freedom fighter was
factors has led to these successes. once again and was frequented and occupied by sex workers and vagrants
dominated by drug abusers and making it inaccessible for the local
Horniman Circle, Fort anti-social elements. With strong community. The Chembur Citizens’
This 10,000 m2 garden situated support from the Tata Trusts, and the Forum (CCF), the local ALM took
in the Fort precinct of Mumbai is a neighbourhood residents, the MCGM the lead. They approached former
one of the oldest and most prominent revamped the garden. The citizens MP Gurudas Kamath and Hindustan
examples of a garden that was turned formed the Horniman Circle Garden Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL),
around because of the effort of citizens. Trust that maintained the garden which operates a refinery in the area.
What was once famously called as till its operations and maintenance HPCL agreed to fund the makeover
‘Bombay Green’ in the 18th century, reverted to the MCGM in 2016. following which, the citizens took
soon degraded and became a dump charge of the upkeep and maintenance
for used coconut shells. It was the Diamond Garden, Chembur of the garden as an ‘adopter’.
effort of then Police Commissioner, In 2005, the residents around the
Charles Forjett, which facilitated Narayan Gajanana Acharya Udyan,
Commonality in the success

stories
While these examples are
inspiring, it is important to identify
the ingredients that contribute to
successes and even failures. The most
important component is the combined
will of citizens for change. For all the
success stories of ALMs, there are
equal if not more failures. Will to
change is a complex product that is
subject to societal dynamics. Factors
that contribute to it include a sense of
ownership and belonging by citizens,
threat perceptions from inaction and
resulting misuse as well as awareness
levels among citizenry. There are
other factors like the presence of
a strong local champion to bring
people together and liaise with all
stakeholders. Even the personality of
such a person can potentially influence
the success of failure of the ALM.
The MCGM and it’s departments
enjoy a very poor image and low trust
People exercising at Marine Drive || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar levels across citizenry. It is often seen
as being insensitive to the needs of
citizens even in situations like the
Joggers Park, Bandra Dhote Udyan, Mahim establishment and sustenance of
The Joggers Park, a famous seaside The Dr. Ramhari Kishan Dhote ALMs, where citizens are taking up
public park in Bandra, attracts about Udyan at Mahim located near Bombay civic functions out of sheer desperation.
1,500 visitors on a daily basis. Prior Scottish School and Hinduja Hospital Last but not the least, it is heartening
to 1990, this park was a dumping was badly maintained and had also to see that non-governmental funding
ground. It was the effort of the local become a hangout for anti-social has been accessible to such initiatives
corporator and former hockey coach, elements. A local citizen’s trust, the from corporate houses and individual
Oliver Andrade which transformed the Kridangan Sangopan Samiti planned philanthropists alike. This funding has
space. He garnered support from locals and initiated a makeover and started often gone beyond a seeding amount
and collected financial aid to the tune maintaining the Udyan. The barren and many corporate houses continue to
of Rs 4-crore from Raheja Builders and piece of land was developed into a fund the operations and maintenance of
Rizvi Builders to make this change. garden that includes a meditation adopted parks. It would be interesting
Today, Joggers Park is a beautiful park centre, a kids’ corner, a vermiculture to study and determine which
which has mud and concrete tracks, pit and a modern drip irrigation factors catalyse such contributions
along with a small bird and rabbit park. system to conserve water—all of which by corporate houses and also which
was done with the help of a sponsor. factors are to be seen as red flags.
41

42 / Mumbai Speaks: Survey, methodology and inferences
Mumbai
speaks: Survey,
methodology and
inferences
A
city-wide survey was the online survey, a complementary
conducted to support this offline survey was initiated to ensure
study in March and April 2016. that the final consolidated figures
were representative of the city’s
METHODOLOGY population as far as possible and taking
The city-wide survey was conducted reasonable precaution not to exclude
through a questionaire having 26 any significant group or geography.
multiple choice question. It was Both the online and offline surveys
conducted in both English and Marathi penetrated across the city and included
to reach out to a wider demography. all 24 municipal wards. There was a
The objective of this survey was to healthy and balanced representation
gauge the usage patterns, levels of of women, children and senior citizens
satisfaction, major concerns, and in both. This survey was exclusively
aspirations of Mumbaikars with respect focused on MCGM’s public open spaces
to public open spaces. The survey was with 1,068 plots spread over 1,300 acres
initially conducted online using Google in the city. However not all respondents
Forms. After studying the trends of demonstrated a clear understanding of
43
RESPONDENT PROFILE
Income Distribution
Male Female
401 312 Above 10 Lac
141
20%
5 Lac to 10 Lac
113
56% 44% 16%
1 Lac to 5 Lac
214
30%
Less than 1 Lac

245
34%
Sex Ratio
Graphic 1
jurisdictional boundaries across open together to reveal hybrid indicators. image of Mumbai and its public spaces
spaces in the city. The survey received in the eyes of Mumbaikars. A detailed
a total of 713 responses. In a handful Usage Patterns analysis of how respondents perceived
of cases, one or two questions were left Our survey (ref. graphic 2) found public open spaces in Mumbai can
unanswered. These odd inconsistencies that close to 65% of respondents were be found later on in this section.
have been factored in to the regular users of public open spaces. 39% This should be used as a guideline
calculations and data representation. were daily users and 25% were weekly for the authorities to promote
users. This reaffirms that POS are an migration of irregular users to
Survey Responses: integral part of the lives of majority regular users by improving the
The survey asked a number of of Mumbaikars and, by extension, quality, consistency, accessibility
questions to respondents concerning strongly impact quality of life. and range of offerings in POS.
the current status and future of POS On the other hand, 15% of Within the respondents, (ref. graphic
in Mumbai. The information was respondents had never used a public 3) there were significant differences
captured ward-wise. In many cases, open spaces in Mumbai, 8% visited between males and females. Mumbai
the respondents were unaware of their parks only once a year and 13% has an unhealthy sex ratio of 874
municipal ward and preferred to give a were monthly users. All of the above which is significantly lower than the
pin code which was later assigned a ward accounted for 36% of respondents. national average of 940. This gender
with the help of online applications. This low-usage could be an indicator disparity is clearly visible in Mumbai’s
The following graphics present an in- of the particularly poor quality and public spaces. The data represented
depth view of the survey and responses. accessibility of public open spaces in above has weighted averages for
In some cases, responses from more some parts of Mumbai. It could also be female respondents to mirror the city’s
than one question have been clubbed attributed to the overall, undesirable prevalent sex ratio. While the graph

HOW FREQUENTLY DO MUMBAIKARS VISIT POS?
Never Daily
15% 39%
Annually Weekly
8% 25%
Monthly
13% Graphic 2
indicates that women account for 40% of safety and security further diminish in neighbourhoods. As indicated by
the daily users, there is hidden problem the opportunities for women to utilise the data there was a clear pattern
of unequal access. Most maidans are public places to their full potential. that proximity to at least one park
almost exclusively male-dominated. We merged the data from two was a strong incentive for people
Women playing sports in such places questions (ref. graphic 4) to ascertain to visit and use public spaces
is a rare sight. In general, women are if there was any correlation between Conversely, those that did not live in
unable to compete with men for space the frequency of visit(s) and the a close proximity to any public space
in Mumbai. Larger concerns with number of accessible open spaces were least likely to take the effort to
45
MALE VS FEMALE: FOOTFALL ANALYSIS
170 Daily 135
104 Weekly 100
40 Monthly 64
26 Annually 42
58 Never 57
Male Female
Graphic 3
find and use a park on regular basis. It (about the right number of parks). This mixed response should not
can also be concluded that an increased 6% of respondents even felt that be misinterpreted as an indicator of
number of offerings presented to number of open spaces in their acceptable numbers and access to POS
the same user in the form of two neighbourhood were more than in the city A Mumbaikar’s image of
separate parks was a strong incentive. required. Predictably, over half (56%) Mumbai couldn’t be further removed
Therefore if one was to formulate the respondents were dissatisfied. from a city with an abundance of
a strategy to get more people to This level of satisfaction (44%) is open and vibrant public spaces. The
public parks, one of the factors both impressive and surprising given satisfaction levels indicated by the
that needs to be considered is the the per capita average in this city. survey should not be mistaken for
proximity of the target group to the The city with its unhealthy average an acceptable level of access to and
nearest open space and the variety of of 1m2 per person is nowhere close quality of open spaces in the city.
offerings available within that space. to the WHO recommended 9 m2 per Such an inference from this study
person. In a city where a majority of its would be the greatest travesty.
Citizens’ perception of number of residents live in informal settlements It was interesting to track this
parks their neighbourhood: (ref. open spaces provide a means of indicator at the ward level not only
graphic 5) recreation, respite and community because the data was available to us
Given that Mumbaikars are engagement. Most people are so but also that perceptions could be
victims of degraded and scare open accustomed to poor qualities of life matched against reality on ground. We
spaces, it is good to see a reasonable that they often fail to see the potential had already been able to source wards
level of satisfaction with 270 (38%) of open spaces in their vicinity.. wise date on open spaces as well as data

FREQUENCY OF USE RELATIVE TO PROXIMITY OF PARKS

103
97
Number of Open Spaces
0 1 2 3-5
67
56
53
36 37
34 35
26
24
22 21 21
18
14 16 15
11
7
Daily (Merged) Weekly Monthly Annually Never
Graphic 4
CITIZENS’ PERCEPTION OF NUMBER OF PARKS

THEIR NEIGHBOURHOOD:
More than About the Fewer than

necessary right number required
42 270 401
6% 38% 56%
Graphic 5
47
on per capita open spaces per ward. What people dislike about their The idea of public spaces as engines
When compared side by side, open spaces of social interaction and wellbeing
the two graphs throw up some Unpleasant odours from garbage was also reinforced by this survey.
patterns as well as some exceptions. dumps/urinals and garbage disposal ‘Meeting friends’ was the second
in and around parks was the biggest ranked activity followed by ‘Taking
Rating Mumbai’s Public Spaces concern for people (ref. graphic 7) children to play’ as the third. These
Across the survey, nearly all patronizing POS.It is ironic that are directly and indirectly social
respondents were dissatisfied (ref. destinations for health and fitness can activities and accounted for a large
graphic 6) when it came to the be responsible for the spread of disease amount of time spent in open spaces.
provisions of toilets and drinking water especially in a city that has grappled Sports dominated by cricket was
facilities at public open spaces. Poorly- with plagues and epidemics in the past. also a major crowd puller. There is a
maintained toilets are breeding ground Anti-social elements were also a pattern that emerges throughout the
for diseases. Since a large number of major concern for the respondents. survey that ranks the activity patterns
people use open spaces for exercises Vulnerable groups like women, children of the users. Once again this data
and given that it is a tropical city, and senior citizens are unlikely to visit cannot be looked at in isolation. The
provision of drinking water is a must. these open spaces if they perceive a availability or lack of facilities and
Another aspect that received threat to their safety and security. infrastructure is an important driver
resounding disapproval from a large Encroachments around parks of user activities. The same can be said
number of respondents was the lack also need to be reined in. Not only of simpler and less tangible factors
of facilities for the differently-abled. do they impair visual connectivity like ease of access and connectivity,
Public open spaces need to have ramps and easy access to parks, but they feeling of safety and security, dynamic
and general ease of access to ensure also contribute to the reduced programming of public spaces and
that the differently abled can visit these feeling of safety and security within range of activities in a given space.
parks without assistance. This apathy and around these public spaces.
towards the differently-abled across Mumbaikars’ aspirations for
public spaces and public infrastructure What do Mumbaikars do in their open spaces
on part of the MGCM has given Public Open Spaces? One of the principal objectives of
Mumbai a bad reputation and kept it This questions (ref. graphic 8) this study is to influence policy towards
from being counted as an inclusive city. gives us an insight into the lives of the conversion of non-users to regular
Throughout the questionnaire the Mumbaikars outside work. Walking users and to incentivize regular users to
metrics that were used more often were was the dominant activity while increase their frequency of use and range
‘Average’, ‘Poor’ or ‘Very Poor’. ‘Good’ jogging and exercise also ranked in of activities. Respondents were asked
or ‘Very Good’ were seldom used to the top 5. Even mental health was high (ref. graphic 9) to choose 5 things that
describe the existing infrastructure on the list with yoga and meditation they would want in their public spaces
at these open spaces. This shows that ranking 6th. India is known as the in order to make them more attractive.
users irrespective of frequency of use, diabetes capital of the world. It also Respondents chose greening, access
were unhappy with the status quo. is a hotspot of other lifestyle diseases to drinking water & sanitation facilities,
This prevailing dissatisfaction with the including hypertension and obesity. better facilities for sports, multi
public space infrastructure could be a It is encouraging therefore to see -purpose trails for cycling, running
major deterrent in attracting patrons that fitness is of great importance to jogging and walking, and increased
and converting non users to regular Mumbaikars. This is a welcome and security measures like CCTV cameras
users. A good number of respondents rising trend in Mumbai and there are and female guards as their top priorities.
were satisfied with Children’s Play several visible indicators. A morning These more popular activities on
Areas across parks and gardens. visit to the promenades and parks the wish list are relatively basic in
of the city will reinforce this finding. nature. If implemented systematically

HOW DO YOU RATE MUMBAI’S PUBLIC SPACES?

51 46 33
58
Very Good
164 162 184 96
120 167
130 137
123 116 Good

107 151
225 220 229 241
Average
Safety Cleanliness Aesthetics And Design Lighting And Evening Use
20 39 17 55 Poor
81 67 127
160 150
224 148
285 145
137 Very poor
191 115
171 227 179 224
Differently Abled Access Fencing, Walking Paths & Facilities For Toilets & Children’s Play Area
Seating Drinking Water Graphic 6
WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT YOUR OPEN SPACE?
329
378
Unpleasant odours
Garbage
dumping inside
and/or outside
from urinals/garbage
dumps
the park
320
Anti-social elements
in the park
242 203
Hawkers inside
Encroachments
inside and/or outside and/or outside
the park the park
Total responses 1472

Graphic 7
49
WHAT DO MUMBAIKARS DO IN
PUBLIC OPEN SPACES (per week)?
Graphic 8
ACTIVITY Not Applicable 1-2 HOURS 2-5 HOURS 5-10 HOURS 10 & ABOVE
Walking 214 400 72 22 5
Meet friends 348 318 39 6 2
Take children 418 238 45 7 5

to play
Jogging 420 231 45 15 2
Exercise 446 213 45 8 1
Yoga/ Meditation 512 161 32 8 0
Cricket 533 132 39 8 1
Cycling 538 133 30 10 2
Meeting for work 546 134 26 4 3
Study/ casual
reading 550 127 29 5 2
Basketball/ 573 110 21 8 1

Volleyball/
Badminton/ Tennis
Football 580 105 24 4 0

Community
service/ chit funds 584 105 19 2 3
Kabbadi/ Kho Kho/

622 64 21 5 1
Malakhamb
Eat food 628 66 13 6 0
50 / Mumbai
Laughter Speaks: Survey,
club 628methodology and inferences
74 10 1 0
WHAT MUMBAIKARS WANT?

Graphic 9
313 271 Dedicated

Closed Circuit Children's
Better (CC TV) Cam- Play Areas
facilities eras, Women
for Sports Guards &
improved
209 safety 121
Universal
access
305 Community
Multi-purpose 81 events like fun
fairs, commu-
trails for walk- 101 nity games,
ing, jogging, music pro-
cycling & 204 Farmer grams etc
running Swimming markets
pools
Themed parks like

butterfly parks, bird
265 Picnic
watching parks
Free WiFi
grounds
82 166
Dedicated
121 Children's
Play Areas
420
More trees in
open spaces 56
Skating Rinks /
150 Skate Parks
415
Improved & Facilities
accessible for Senior
sanitation & Citizens
drinking water
facilites
83
Pet parks
51
SHOULD OPEN SPACES BE USED FOR RELIGIOUS

FUNCTIONS OR POLITICAL RALLIES ?
6%
No Yes
670 43
94% Graphic 10

SHOULD AN ENTRY FEE BE CHARGED FOR ACCESS TO

PARKS AND GARDENS?
256 Yes No 457
`
Graphic 11
SHOULD AN ENTRY FEE BE CHARGED FOR ACCESS TO

SPECIAL FACILITIES?
No 200
(Free)
Yes 229
(No profit - no loss)
Yes
(subsidised) 284
` Graphic 12
53
Total Responses
703*
WHICH
OF THE Makeover
FOLLOWING
DOES YOUR 383
PARK NEED?
Refurbishment
140
Leave it as it is
180 Graphic 13
* Few respondents did not answer this question

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR PARK TIMINGS?
340
41% Yes, I am satisfied
169 The parks need to open

20% earlier in the morning
169 The parks need to stay open

20% till later in the evening/night
158 The parks should not be

16% closed during the afternoon
Graphic 14
55
ACCORDING TO YOU WHO SHOULD FUND THE COST OF

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF BMC’S OPEN SPACES?
Wholly external
sources
57
Partly only MCGM
MCGM
271 385
Graphic 15
across the city, they will go a long way respondents. This also indicates the Patwardhan Garden and Joggers
in boosting usage of public space by frustration and resentment caused by Park and the Mumbai Port Trust
Mumbaikars. They are also seen as the event to the people. Not only do Garden are examples of public spaces
precursor activities in an evolution these events hamper people’s access to requiring entry fees. These are also
of public space in the city which will open spaces they also lead to the park some of the more well maintained
pave the way for the introduction and being worse off in terms of cleanliness and popular gardens which could
increased demand for a number of other and damage to infrastructure. make for a compelling argument for
activities including those seen above. Further the fact that there existed the imposition of entry fees at more
consistency among the respondents parks. Such places also tend to have
Extraordinary use of public space that were spread throughout the better security in places. It is hence
at the cost of regular activities 24 wards in the city indicates that not surprising to learn that 36% of the
94% of the respondents (ref. graphic this is a city wide phenomenon. respondents were in favour of levying
10) were against the use of Public entrance fees for access to parks and
open spaces for religious/political Entry Fees and Pay-Per-Use gardens, in spite of being categorically
functions. In a sample size this varied Model (ref. graphic 11 & 12) informed that MCGM had the requisite
it is extremely rare to arrive at such The concept of entry fees for funds to be able to maintain and
overwhelming consensus among public spaces in not new to Mumbai. operate these public spaces without

compromising quality and delivery The MCGM has however devised Public opinion on the condition
of services. However the concept of a novel plan to ensure that all open of their neighbourhood park and
pay-per-use open spaces is inherently spaces under its jurisdiction are well what it needs. (ref. graphic 13)
exclusionary and tends to target those maintained and adhere to uniform Despite the regular maintenance
social groups that needs these open standards of operation and cleanliness. of open spaces including installation
spaces the most i.e. the poorest sections The MCGM has allotted multiple and painting of fences, installation
of society. It also negates the accessible open spaces to contractors through a of park furniture and jungle gyms,
and democratic nature of open spaces, tender process. The payment of these only 26% showed satisfaction with
and should therefore be abolished contractors is contingent on them the current state and condition of
as a practice. It is also worthwhile to receiving an ISO certification for the their open spaces. The remaining 74%
note that over 60% of respondents spaces that they have been allotted. This opted for change, a staggering 54%
were against any type of entrance fees will ensure better quality and uniform wished for a complete makeover and
to access basic parks, gardens, etc. standard of service throughout the city. 20% were happy with refurbishment.
Conversely, 60% of the respondents This reveals the dissatisfaction that
were willing to pay some kind of fees Responsibility of Funding the the citizens currently experience with
for accessing specialised facilities. Operation and Maintenance of their open spaces. An average citizen
There was however no consensus on MCGM’s POS has an elaborate wish list of amenities
the nature of this fee to be levied. About Over half (54%) of the respondents that they expect the MCGM to provide.
32% of the respondents felt that these (ref. graphic 15) felt that the MCGM must These range from CCTV cameras to
facilities should operate on a no profit be the one to bear the entire expenses better sporting facilities. Citizens
no loss basis and must charge fees for the operation and management of are also unhappy with the existing
accordingly. 28% of the respondents the city’s open spaces. There is however infrastructure as can be ascertained
felt that the MCGM must subsidize the a sizable population that believes by poor ratings accorded to these
costs of running such establishments. that some avenues of public private open spaces and hence the demand
People across the city seemed partnership can also be explored. for refurbishment or makeovers.
to appreciate the prohibitive costs Spaces like Patwardhan Park, Diamond
involved in running sport facilities garden, Joggers Park, Horniman Park timings (ref. graphic 14)
and were more than willing to share Circle, Priyadarshini Park and others, – 59% of the respondents were
the burden. This eagerness also stems where citizen groups and MCGM dissatisfied with the park timings.
from the disproportionately low have worked in tandem, have become Mumbai is famed as the city that never
number of sporting facilities that the vibrant and popular open spaces. sleeps, and this must reflect in park
city of Mumbai currently provides to We believe that PPP models timings as well. Different users had
its citizens as well as their desperation while not absolving the MCGM of different preferences in terms of when
to access such facilities for themselves all its responsibilities also ensures they wanted to use these parks but could
and especially their children. continuous citizen participation. The not do so owing to the park timings.
Responsibility of Operations MCGM must ensure that its policy In order to encourage more people
and Maintenance of MCGM’s POS provides enough room to citizens and to use parks and gardens we must
When it comes to the actual function citizen groups so as to ensure better ensure that the timings are designed
of operation and maintenance of open accountability and foster a sense of to maximize convenience for the users.
spaces citizens put greatest trust in ownership for the city’s public spaces.
the joint management of open spaces While there currently exists a
where the MCGM looks after security trust deficit between the MCGM
and gardening and other functions and the citizens it should not
whereas the citizen groups look after discount the merits of citizen
the monitoring and programming. participation in the city’s open spaces.
57
PC Sayli Udas Mankikar

58 / Foreword
59
RECOMMENDATIONS
The report so far presents the status-quo of the
administration of open spaces and problems
thereof. This section attempts at providing
solutions through culmination of best practices and
introduction of innovative concepts. This will enable
the formulation of a more holistic and effective open
spaces policy for the city.
60 / Recommendations
VISION & MISSION
A
vision and mission are standard and critical elements of a policy’s organizational
strategy. Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) develop organizational mission statements and
vision statements, which serve as foundational guides in the establishment of the
ULB’s objectives. The ULB then develops strategic and tactical plans to achieve its objectives.
A policy therefore, is incomplete without a vision and mission. We suggest that MCGM’s open
spaces policy’s vision and mission should incorporate the following:
VISION
• To envision a culturally rich, environmentally sustainable Mumbai full of healthy people with ready
and equitable access to world-class community resources; more connected to each other and their
neighbourhoods, while fostering a strong sense of ownership, pride and confidence in their city.
• The creation of a network of high quality and inspiring open spaces which helps ensure an
attractive, healthy, sustainable and socially-cohesive place for all the city’s communities and visitors
MISSION
• We shall work towards a single-point planning and management authority for all open and
public spaces in Mumbai irrespective of ownership and jurisdiction. This will necessitate
planned and sustained coordination with state and central government authorities as well as
inter-departmental cooperation within the MCGM to do justice to this complex and
multifaceted discipline.
• We will continue to make focussed investment and have sustained stewardship of public space
that will yield immediate benefits and be sustainable in the long run for future generations to
prosper from.
• All Mumbaikars should have a fair share of their city’s resources and a voice in how they are used.
We will include local communities in the decisions that affect their neighborhoods, through public spaces
across the city.
• We will ensure an uncompromising levels of safety, cleanliness and equitable access across all public
places and actively encourage their sustained patronisation by women, children of all ages and senior
citizens and other marginalised user groups.
• We will work to make Mumbai fit and healthy by providing high quality sports and fitness
infrastructure in adequate numbers across the city so as to reduce the prevalence of lifestyle
diseases and produce national and international sports persons in large numbers over a sustained
period of time.
• We will promote the use of public spaces to celebrate the arts, culture and heritage and
provide stimulating environments for recreation, socialisation and learning from nature. We will
actively encourage an urban greening mission and work alongside citizens and other stakeholders
to achieve safe and healthy air quality in the city.
61
Governance
G
ood governance is a critical factor in the
protection, maintenance and treatment
of public open spaces, and it is the neglect
and lackadaisical attitude of the government
and the municipal corporation in Mumbai that
has led to the sorry state of spaces in the city.
Our research, surveys and interactions with
government and civic officials, Garden Department
staff, citizens, and councillors over the past year has
made us believe that forming a single, overarching,
public open spaces entity is the best way forward.
MCGM employee maintaining the Kamla

Nehru Park after it was repossed by the MCGM
|| P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
Some projects will involve the MCGM’s 1068 plots. Other

MMC ACT 1888 may involve POSs outside these plots. In the former case
The 120-year old act dates back to the British some big-ticket projects would be shortlisted for exclusive
colonial rule, and is archaic in several aspects. The act CSR funding. A certain number would remain under the
doesn’t make any specific mention of the treatment capital expenditure derived from the MCGM’s budget.
and role of open spaces in the city. The first change would be Similarly in the case of projects outside of MCGM’s 1068
amending the MMC Act 1888, originally referred to as the plots, the relevant departments of the corporation will
BMC Act 1888. follow the same procedure as the Garden Department.
This is the principle act under which the MCGM functions Those projects identified for CSR but not favoured by
and derives its administrative duties and responsibilities. corporate houses, could, in subsequent years, move to the
The MCGM Act clearly defines the obligatory and priority list for direct funding by MCGM. This committee
discretionary duties of the corporation in sections 61 and will determine the standards, qualities and procedures
63 respectively, where the ‘maintenance’ of open spaces for projects funded entirely by CSR. This committee
is listed as a discretionary function. This has put it off the will be responsible for bridging the trust deficit that
priority list of the civic body. Empowered by the provisions currently exists between corporate India and the MCGM.
of the 74th constitutional amendment, the state government This committee, and particularly its non-government
should step in and compel the MCGM to reassess resources and expertise, should also be available for
this responsibility and make it a mandatory function. the programming of POS in Mumbai, outside the
jurisdiction of the MCGM itself. These include areas
APEX COMMITTEE FOR owned by MMRDA, MSRDC, PWD, Railways, MbPT etc.
PUBLIC OPEN SPACES IN This report suggests a model similar to the Mumbai
MUMBAI Transformation Support Unit (MTSU) which served
The MCGM should constitute a multi-stakeholder as the secretariat for the Secretary (Special Projects)
committee that includes a wide variety of civil society of the Government of Maharashtra. This will also
members from the areas of architecture, town-planning, enable a rich stakeholder interaction to determine the
urban design, environment, sports and fitness, arts culture future of public spaces and shape the image of the city.
heritage besides representation from relevant departments This body could meet periodically to resolve the any
(gardens, tree authority, roads, and heritage committee) of inter-departmental/ inter-agency issues and queries.
the MCGM. The government and civil society members must
be equally empowered. This committee should be headed
by the Municipal Commissioner, MCGM. This committee DEVOLUTION OF POWER TO
must be empowered to set the agenda for programming WARD COMMITTEES
and auditing of all POSs under MCGM’s purview. The scope The other way to ensure that open
of work of this committee must include all 1068 plots of spaces remain protected and well-governed is
the MCGM, all pavements and waterfront-promenades, by devolution of power to ward committees and
river banks, markets, station areas and other areas of the ensuring a greater role of the civil society in them.
city which are public open spaces and not included in the The 74th constitutional amendment under the Urban
1068 plots of the Garden Department. Programming would Bill of Rights calls for the formation of ward committees
include setting up of new facilities, thematic events and in the corporation for decentralisation. This will bring
festivals, art installations, special projects and missions governance closer to the people and empower wards to
like Mumbai Sports Mission and Mumbai Urban Greening carry out the responsibilities of ULBs. The bill has defined
Mission etc. that the committee may determine from time tasks like giving suggestions and proposals on renaming
to time. This programming ambition must be made public roads, maintenance of roads, water lines, maintaining
and presented to corporate houses as a bouquet of options. and developing gardens as defined in the MMC Act, 1888.
Under their CSR, corporates may select preferred projects. The MCGM’s functions are spread across 24 wards spread
63
over 6 divisions to simplify administration. There are 16 growth. Till the early 1990s, officials realised that the cost
ward committees in Mumbai, chaired by ward officers, of acquisition of land in a place like Mumbai is too high,
where the municipal councillors are members and three slowing down the process. To avoid the straining of civic
members from NGO’s are nominated by councillors. finances, the Development Control Rules (DCR) for Greater
While the 74th amendment did put a premium on Mumbai, 1991, were put in place. Private land owners were
formation of ward committees and district committees, given Transferrable Development Rights (TDR) in lieu of
in reality, these remained have passive and do not seem handing over reserved land, free of cost and encroachments.
to have enough legislative or financial powers to take The TDR policy gave land holders a free hand to use the space
necessary decisions. In short, a system was floated, but they had to build northwards into the suburbs of Mumbai
without the teeth and necessary resources.The scope of (the southern and central areas were already crowded)
ward committees needs to be expanded by including civil without mandating for creating infrastructure to support
groups to be an active participant in them. They should the surge. While they do provide a means of compensating
mirror the participatory approach of the proposed Apex landowners for voluntarily giving away their land, there
Committee. Today, the limited civil society members in are administrative complexities and impacts people in
these committees are predominantly political appointees. areas designated for the transfer of rights. In Mumbai,
The government needs to redefine the Bill Of this has been one of the primary reasons for haphazard
Rights and get citizens from wards to have an equal growth and realty rate surge coupled with crumbling
representation on these committees. Currently infrastructure, and particularly impacting open spaces.
Mumbai has over 200 registered Advanced Locality Several urban development concepts used in overcrowded
Managements (ALM’s). Their custodians are responsible cities, particularly in Asia and South America, have a lot
citizens and must be made part of ward committees. of potential. The concept of Purchase of Development
In case of open spaces, the committees should Rights (PDR) which has become a popular approach for
be involved in every aspect from designing the open space protection can be implemented in Mumbai.
development plan, maintenance, protection, upgradation This can apply in cases where vacant plots owned by
and fixing amenities and sport facilities in wards. both private and public (non-MCGM) owners could
The expenditures for operation and management voluntarily sell the development rights and keep the title
must derive exclusively from the MCGM’s budget. and the land for preservation as an open space. This
Till now, the role of civil society in Mumbai has been largely a also doesn’t put any pressure on the state exchequer.
reactive one and this needs to change if successful and people- Growth-phasing controls like putting caps on the number
oriented policies are to be framed. Such involvement will of building permissions issued, and linking it to the number
give an impetus to getting genuine ground-level information of proportional public amenities (like open spaces) made
and a constructive critique in formulation of policy. available, can be introduced. Similarly, zoning can be
done where areas with dense development can be isolated
COMPLIMENTARY POLICY from any further densification, thus, ensuring that only
PRACTICES urban services and facilities are made available in these
Complementary policy instruments are more zones. Cluster zoning is another regulatory technique
effective than just banking on one single open spaces policy to that has been used for decades in Mumbai and is being
solve the problems of public spaces of Mumbai. A successful proposed in several high-density areas with small houses
city which balances different spheres of policy like urban in the city. Here, areas are planned through concentrated
renewal, housing, education, transport etc. All these policies development where open spaces become a major component.
are interconnected and interdependent with numerous
overlapping areas. It is, therefore, important that policy makers STAFF RESTRUCTURING
speak to each other while framing and revising all policies. The grossly understaffed MCGM Garden
Currently, in Mumbai we only use the concept of Transfer Department needs to undergo a staff restructuring
of Development Rights (TDR) to manage the vertical exercise which will ensure that there are trained, efficient
staffers who can maintain and develop the city’s open spaces. between parks and see why certain spaces do better than
The insufficient manpower has forced the department to the others. Such a GIS system should be kept interactive
employ contractors to maintain the spaces. Senior officials so as to allow public to comment on local green spaces.
often become shared resources across multiple departments
and are not able to give any definite direction to the Garden
Department.
OUTCOME ORIENTED BUDGET

While in the budget chapter we have seen how
there is a need to increase the spending on spaces, we
Citizens Feedback
would recommend bringing in an outcome-oriented and Inputs Strategic
Planning
budget model which will bring financial discipline.
It needs to align itself with citizen-driven priorities
and device a model which has goals and defined
outcomes aligned with the budget and the community.
There has to be clarity on how much money needs to OUTCOME
be allotted for capital and revenue expenditure, and ORIENTED
what realistic targets can be achieved by the MCGM. Monitor and BUDGET MODEL
The funds have to be spent within a structured Measure
results Outcome
framework which ensures a systematic cycle of oriented
accountability. The outcome-oriented budget model can budget with
targets and
be seen in the form of a cyclical loop where the citizens’ goals
feedback and aspirations drives the strategic thinking.
Management
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY and Work
IN GARDEN DEPARTMENT
There is a dire need for bringing in IT in the
management of POS. This is an important tool
for capturing, storing, updating, manipulating, analysing ONLINE FEEDBACK SYSTEM
and displaying all forms of geographically-referenced There needs to be a website or an app created
information on open spaces. This approach involves by the MCGM which will give basic information
using GIS mapping systems, aerial photography, zoning of spaces in the city, get online feedback from
information, land attribute mapping and inventories them and also go a step ahead and get citizens involved.
to identify existing parks in the local government area. There are some interesting mobile applications that have
This can be followed by an audit of all POS infrastructure been developed around the world where people are guided
including community facilities, private facilities, public to parks and gardens closest to their neighbourhoods.
open space, paths and trails. Such a GIS system also helps In Mumbai, this is a necessity where most people are
establish innovative ways of funding, developing and internet savvy. Let us look at two interesting apps
maintaining parks. It should also be capable of adding layers which can be replicated in Mumbai for this purpose:
such as underground utilities, mobile phone towers as well
as encroachments and hawker locations. The information
thus obtained could be used to make comparisons
65
CITYGARDENS shoot a photo, and record a sound. When users open the app,
APP IN PARIS they choose between an icon of camera, tape recorder, and
CityGarden is a journal to select how they want to share their experience.
privately created app. It By setting up an app for citizens in Mumbai, it
uses geo-location abilities will not only mean giving information on spaces in
so that users can easily neighbourhoods, but an encouragement to see that one
find the parks and gardens flowering tree at the nearby garden that someone else
in their neighbourhood. has posted on the app. This will encourage people to use
Once in the park, people more green spaces and create enthusiasm to visit new
are informed of geo- gardens, which will encourage MCGM to maintain them.
tagged places, operating
times and other details. PUBLIC PRIVATE
All 440 parks and gardens PARTNERSHIP (PPP), AN
in Paris, which works OPPORTUNITY WORTH
out to an average of five CONSIDERING?
parks within 500 meters Throughout the world there are excellent
around each Parisian is examples of successful PPP models where parks are
tagged. In many of them maintained through joint efforts-one of the biggest
you can find play areas and most successful is that of New York’s Central Park.
for children, water points, From the year 1980, the 843-acre park has been looked after
Wi-Fi hotspots. by the Central Park Conservancy, a public-private partnership
created to bring private resources to the public park.
WANDER, The need, as defined by the conservancy group was
WONDER, to ‘bring something permanent and non-political’.
WILDERNESS APP It also aimed at ensuring that it was not subject
IN BOSTON to changes when a commissioner or mayor leaves
An assistant professor office; but also something that was accountable to the
of media and visual arts at public and that worked in partnership with the city.
Emerson College, Boston, The Central Park Conservancy’s annual
wanted to encourage urban operating budget16 is $25 million (approximately
dwellers to get out of their 85% raised privately by the conservancy and
cars, offices, and classrooms 15% contributed by the NYC Parks Department).
and into one of dozens of Another park, the 193-acre Piedmont Park, Atlanta,
parks in Greater Boston. Georgia, which has an annual park budget17 of approximately
With a team, he created a $2.5 million, comprises of funds from various private sources
free app called ‘Wander, and partnerships, as well as from the city government.
Wonder, and Wilderness’, This park, which was a horse racing ground for
which is also hosted on a exclusive use, was later purchased by the City of Atlanta
website. This allows people but went through deterioration in the 1980’s. In 1992,
to write an observation, the non-profit Piedmont Park Conservancy signed a
16 Central Park Website http://www.centralparknyc.org/ (30th December 2016)

17 Piedmont Park website http://www.piedmontpark.org/ (30th December 2016)
memorandum of understanding with the City of Atlanta

to establish an official public/private partnership.
The conservancy is dedicated to the restoration,
maintenance and enhancement of Piedmont Park
and has raised nearly $20 million in private funds.
In these cases, the success of the PPP model is non-
refutable and it not only improves the Quality of Life
indicators of the city, but brings in huge economic
activity which is true of both New York and Atlanta.
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
OF PUBLIC PRIVATE The 193- acre Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia which has an annual
park budget of approximately $2.5 million, comprises of funds from
OWNERSHIP various private sources and partnerships, as well as from the city
Those who are critical of the PPP model are government. || Source: Piedmont Park website
mainly concerned about issues related to privatisation
of spaces and accessibility across economic sections.
However, success stories around the world have shown
that if policies are structured properly and the focus is to where a non-partisan conservancy trust consisting of
citizens, urban experts and environmentalists is created.
The group then raises funds and manages the park,
typically as a non-profit and tax-exempt corporation.
Another PPP model incorporated for maintaining open
space is when the government forms a public benefit
corporation. These corporations looks after public open
spaces, funded by payments from surrounding commercial
and residential developments like the one at Battery Park,
New York.
Lastly, in cases where special facilities are created like
a skating rink, bird park or a zoo is developed, the administration
can ensure that if there is a private partner involved,
From the year 1980, the New York’s Central Park 843-acre park has he will ensure that the user fee is socially inclusive and just.
been looked after by the Central Park Conservancy, a public-private
partnership created to bring private resources to the public park. || In conclusion, it is clear that citizens, ALM’s, advocacy
Source: Central Park website groups and urban activists are essential components of open
space stewardship efforts. It is essential that the MCGM
considers the associated benefits of this volunteering effort.
protect public access, then PPP can prove to be successful. New thinking need to go into understanding the
A business district fund can be created where property interplay between people and spaces. There is a
owners in business districts surrounding public spaces need for policies that determine a fair balance of both
agree to pay a property tax surcharge that is allocated private and public involvement that helps broaden
exclusively for improvement and maintenence of green plots communities and create people’s stakes in public parks.
in a certain geographic area. A better and green surrounding
directly impacts the economic interests of business houses.
The other model is like that of the Central Park,
67
Design approach &

placemaking
T
he MCGM is a grand organisation we must make the best use of each and every
established in 1885. Its work approach square foot. POS must be seen as having a
to the management of open spaces has life of their own, interacting with everything
been put in place over decades. As we have around them synergistically and being strong
seen, many of the existing practices need contributors to a harmonious neighbourhood
urgent reform. A purposeful and focussed shift and vibrant city. To begin with, a set of
from the cookie cutter approach employed by indicators of healthy public spaces must be
the MCGM today is central to change. There identified. As defined by the Project for Public
also needs to be a change in the way the Spaces (PPS), such indicators may broadly
MCGM sees open spaces. Open spaces cannot fall under the categories of sociability,
be measured purely in numbers especially uses and activities, access & linkages and
when as a resource it is already so scarce with image & comfort. All four are important
little room for quantitative growth. Quality pillars of healthy public spaces which when
and not quantity needs to be given the highest stitched together make up a healthy city.
priority. After all, if the spaces cannot grow,
Citizens enjoying early morning activities at Worli Sea Face || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
SOCIABILITY: the same space at different times. Some user groups may
The social quotient of a public space is prefer the edges of public spaces. Such consideration
often an intangible indicator. It concerns must also find room in the planning of public open
itself with gender equality, inclusiveness, spaces. Policy makers will do well to have a dedicated
diversity, sense of community and ownership, pride and focus on increasing the presence of women across
an environment conducive to social interaction. While it the city’s POS and across a wider range of activities.
may seem challenging to measure these qualities, there A healthy social space will tend to be a preferred
are visible signs that one needs to look out for. The destination for friends to catch up or regular users to meet
presence of women, children and senior citizens in good and interact. Its surroundings, too, should be buzzing
numbers is one such strong indicator of a healthy public with activity and a complementary and vibrant street
space. Conversely, their absence is an indicator of an life that celebrates the colours and diversity of Mumbai.
unhealthy public space. In Mumbai, this observation
can almost be used as a rule of thumb. Beyond the USES AND ACTIVITIES
simple presence of a user group, it is important to note Mumbai’s public parks display very similar
the range of activities of each group. It is also important characteristics in terms of design and
to note that usage patterns may change throughout the function. This is largely due to the present day
day and go through cycles of peaks and troughs with the cookie cutter approach of the MCGM which
seasons in a year. Different user groups may dominate sees parks with very identical, dull entrances, tall metal
69
hubs that foster a sense of community and invite public

participation. Many new features can help increase the
diversity of park activities. Many of these initiatives
can be affordable as well as being environmentally and
socially sustainable at the same time. A little ingenuity
can go a long way to ring in change that is lighter, quicker
and cheaper. More uses and activities will also mean
more tourism and improved livelihood opportunities.
The Mumbai Drum Circle at Carter Road is a bi-weekly event with

ACCESS & LINKAGES
free entry that makes innovative use of open spaces for community A critical indicator of a good public space
engagement || Source: MDC Facebook Page is accessibility. This may be defined as how
easily, quickly and safely users can access a
given open space. It also deals with all aspects of access
fences along the perimeter, the same set of jungle gyms for the differently-abled. On both counts, the entire
for kids and even the same benches. Very little separates city of Mumbai scores very poorly. While hawkers add
these spaces. Consequently, the activity profile of such colour and vibrancy to public spaces, they need to be
places also tends to be monotonous. Given the paucity regulated and kept in balance so as to complement their
of open spaces in the city, most neighbourhood parks surroundings and not become public nuisances. This is
are default open spaces that people frequent because a delicate balance to maintain. The survey showed that
there is nowhere else to go. This apathy and lack of
ambition calls for systemic change within the MCGM.
Each park must be treated based on its unique setting,
stakeholders and neighbourhood. It’s programming
must be ever-evolving, dynamic and demand-driven.
Each visitor must have a choice of activities when he
or she visits the park. One may find empty parks even
in a city like Mumbai because there is nothing to do in
them. Activities also need to be balanced out across user
groups so that these spaces remain strongly inclusive.
Children and retired persons must be encouraged
to visit the park during working hours which will
allow for a more sustained and equitable use of space
throughout the day. The survey has indicated a wish list
of Mumbaikars indicating their ambitions for the future
of POS in the city. Many of these are very basic demands
and include drinking water fountains, CCTV cameras,
free Wi-Fi, more greenery, senior-friendly parks etc.
These should be immediately rolled out across POS in
the city. More complex requirements like swimming
pools, community events, pet parks, farmers markets,
should be experimented with in each ward before scaling
across the city. Mumbaikars are a fun-loving people with
little avenue to have fun in public spaces. This must be Man reads a newspaper at the Kamla Nehru Park paper stand
reversed and public spaces must become neighbourhood
A woman makes use of the elderly friendly infrastructure to access the Hanging garden in South Mumbai. Such Infrastructure is woefully
missing across many POS in Mumbai || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
hawkers were also seen as creating nuisance, especially grabbed by the corporation itself for the construction
on footpaths along the peripheries of open spaces. of temporary sheds which stand out like eyesores on a
The survey also showed a strong correlations between heritage pavement named after the father of the nation.
frequency of use and number of accessible parks in the Footpaths in Mumbai are often too high and abruptly
neighbourhood. Besides proximity, the quality and safety discontinued by the entrances of buildings. Pedestrians
of the pavements leading to the POS are also important. are forced to repeatedly climb poorly built pavements
Parks that are well connected by public transport can while motor vehicles have the privilege to move on an
attract larger crowds. Such places area ideal to have even grade at the expense of the former. Many footpaths
themed events like farmers market. Such places must are in fact used for parking of cars owing to the paucity
have a strong focus on special needs and accessibility of parking space in the city. Countless footpaths have
and must become models for replication across the city. been shaved and trimmed across the city over the years
Footpaths across the city are heavily encroached and to accommodate cars. It seems that in the eyes of the
spatially degraded. Many have become hubs of retail MCGM the lowest priority for the use of footpaths
and the domain of hawkers before pedestrians. Fashion as a public resource is to be accorded to the humble
Street on along Mahatma Gandhi Road is a reminder of pedestrian. No wonder then that most if not all
how easily, large and prominent public spaces can be lost regular pedestrians prefer to walk on the road which
overnight. Ironically, all that remains walkable out of this thanks to the needs of car owners have remained
kilometre long pavement on either sides is the section un-encroached and relatively even. This makes
that is privately managed by the Bombay Gymkhana. Mumbai pedestrian infrastructure inaccessible
All the pavements maintained by the MCGM have to children, the elderly and the differently abled
either been encroached by Fashion Street or have been thus excluding a large and vulnerable population.
71
In a city where an overwhelming majority of individual COMFORT AND IMAGE

journeys are undertaken on foot there can be no greater This study has emphasised the urgent need
injustice than has been witnessed by Mumbai in the to transform the unenviable image of Mumbai
city government’s treatment of its footpaths. With over through its public spaces. Healthy public
2,000 km of roads, the city has about 480 Ha of just spaces will automatically give a boost to the image
footpaths (assuming 2,000 km of footpath and 2.4 m of Mumbai while positively impacting the lives of its
average width of footpath). This number alone is equal millions. Public spaces should be welcoming and safe
to the total open space commanded by the city for all users at all times. There are many ways through
government in Mumbai. Until the city government begins which design can influence these qualities. As indicated
to treat its footpaths as infrastructure for pedestrians by the survey Mumbaikars had an average or poor
and pedestrians alone, this spatial degradation at the impression of POS. Among their dislikes for Mumbai’s
cost of vehicular infrastructure, slum proliferation and POS, respondents consistently identified unpleasant
hawking space will continue unchecked. We must take odours from garbage dumps/urinals and garbage
inspiration from the success of waterfront promenades disposal in and around parks as major concerns which
that have become some of the most popular destinations contribute negatively to the image of the park. The
in the city at Marine Drive, Worli Sea-face, Carter Road image of a POS therefore influences and is influenced
and Bandstand. There must be an effort to connect by its periphery and surroundings as well.
these waterfront promenades and scale them up Safety, cleanliness, attractiveness, greening,
across the east and west coast of this island city. We internal walkability and history are all building
may not be able to continually acquire new land for blocks of the comfort and image of a POS.
open spaces but we can make a huge difference with A clean park with clean surroundings will
good management of what we already have. With a automatically be more welcoming and feel safer. One
focus on the neglected waterfronts of Mumbai, the ORF of the most underestimated aspect of a comfortable
Mumbai also proposed a vision for the Bayline ~ 25- POS in Mumbai is seating. Benches in POS of the city
30 km long unbroken pedestrian and cyclist corridor are boring and have remained more or less unevolved
along the west coast of Mumbai that amalgamates for half a century or so. They are built for three persons
major waterfront promenades, three forts, several and placed in a straight line along an edge. While
finishing villages, kilometres of beaches, places there are often well used, they are unimaginative
of worship, markets, open spaces, residential and and unsuitable for larger groups. In fact, park users
commercial hubs and more. It is conceived with an in Mumbai often improvise seating so that they can
objective to make Mumbai more resilient from extreme face each other in larger groups. One often finds that
weather events, tsunami threats, boost tourism, provide park corners with benches are very popular gathering
livelihoods, eliminate open defecation along its length spaces. Swings are a simple source of joy, yet, are
and give India the largest, contiguous, and most used exclusively part of children’s parks. Even here, many
public open space in the world at 1,500 acres. It is adults will take a chance to enjoy the swings. More
every Mumbaikar’s dream project to turn around parks should be fitted with simple swings even for the
the poor image of Mumbai by involving a collective enjoyment of adult populations. Seating also needs to
of architects, urban planners, scientists, historians, evolve based on such observed usage patterns. POS
researchers, students, residents associations, slum with kattas have always been popular with Mumbaikars.
communities and private space owners along the Shivaji Park, has, for years, been one of the safest,
proposed alignment. A POS with good accessibility busiest, and most vibrant public spaces in Mumbai.
and linkages tend to be socially vibrant and a favoured While the 27-acre maidan is predominantly used for
destination for retail. Such commercial activity can cricket by a male population, there are many other sports
have a strong symbiotic relationship with the POS and fitness activities for other groups. The Samarth
and such associations must be actively encouraged. Vyayam Mandir trains 1,200 students in a variety of
Marine Drive promenade doubles up as a place for people to exercise their pets and socialize with fellow animal lovers
international and traditional Indian sports and martial space to the outer perimeter of its open spaces assuming
arts. What differentiates this park is its edge. Unlike an average footpath width of about 2.4 m across the
the vast majority of parks, gardens and maidans in the city. Further, the dead space created by the fence inside
city, Shivaji Park is unfenced. The hard metal fence has and outside the properties, gets activated especially
made way for the famous katta. Simple and uncomplicated when the fences are replaced with dynamic and
edge seating allowing simultaneous views of the park interactive kattas or programmed seating. This will add
and the road. What would have been acres and acres close to 40 Ha or 100 Acres of usable, POS space to the city.
of dead space around a metal fence has been replaced The de-fencing effort will go a long way in giving
by one of the city’s most vibrant and dynamic public users great visual connectivity, making the open spaces
spaces. It has fostered the strongest sense of ownership safer, welcoming and friendlier in the eyes of the
and the nuisance of hawkers has been kept in check. user. It will also contribute to longer periods of use,
Fences make for dead space on either side. They serve extending the presence of patrons long after traditional
as anchors for shanties and hawkers. They frequently closing hours and much earlier than traditional opening
turn a lively space into a claustrophobic one that is hours. A tangible indicator of comfort and image may
prone to anti-social activities after dark. Simply by de- be found in tracking the crime data from the local
fencing, the MCGM alone can conservatively activate and police stations following a makeover of a given POS.
effectively add 50 hectares or about 125 acres of public
73
Sports & fitness
O
ur aim is to ensure that sports and
fitness are accessible to the common
public while ensuring that promising
athletes have avenues to excel. In urban India
fast-paced and hectic lifestyles are the norm.
Unhealthy eating habits are one part of the
problem. The other is fitness. India is known
as the diabetes capital of the world. This is also
an image it shares with respect to other lifestyle
diseases including hypertension and obesity.
For many Mumbaikars, as indicated by our
survey, open spaces are a source of mental
and physical fitness. Walking was the number
one ranked activity among all users. Jogging,
exercising, yoga/ meditation- all featured in the Children enjoy football in the monsoon, a common sight
top 6 activities in POS. In recent years, many at playgrounds
POS in the city have seen installations of outdoor || P.C: Amean J/Observer Research Foundation Mumbai
gym equipment including installations on prominent their capacities maximised. The staggering gap still cannot be
promenades of the city. These have been well received by completed at once. The city must formulate an implementation
the city and such equipment should be installed in more plan to be executed in phases over a predefined period of time.
locations after careful study and needs assessment. Such We compared the standards and practices of USA and
installations must be safe to use and setup such that it can China – the global leaders in world sports and at the
be freely accessed by all. The promenades of Mumbai have Olympics, to find a suitable benchmark. For every 1000
always been a favourite of fitness conscious citizens. Joggers citizens, Colorado State (USA) recommends 0.95 soccer/
and walkers come in the thousands to enjoy the waterfront multi use fields, 0.97 tennis courts, 0.91 basketball courts
and unhindered and even footpaths. Similarly, public parks and 0.13 volleyball courts. Closer to home, China currently
with large walking and running tracks are also very popular boasts of 10 tennis courts, 10 volleyball courts, 6 athletic
and abuzz with fitness activity in the mornings. This trend field (typically enclosing soccer fields), 5 badminton courts
must be encouraged and more waterfront promenades and and 6 swimming pools for every 1,00,000 residents.
public gardens with walking tracks must adorn the city. The Coherent planning and ambitious goal setting has allowed
popularity of yoga must also be further encouraged through the Chinese to achieve unprecedented success. Its standards
POS. The success of ‘Yoga by the Bay’ at Marine Drive as are still modest when compared to the many US cities and
a part of a citizen initiative – ‘I Love Mumbai’, in recent would, therefore make a more appropriate benchmark for a
times, has been encouraging. Meditation in the outdoors developing economy. By Chinese standards, Mumbai would
is yet another activity that can be nurtured across the city. need 1,240 tennis courts, 1,240 volleyball courts, 744 athletic
Mumbai is the birthplace of cricket. The first test match fields, 620 Badminton Courts and 744 Swimming pools.
on Indian soil was played on Azad Maidan in 1933. Shivaji To begin with, 10% of the requirement must be rolled out
Park has produced more legends than any other ground in the first phase itself. This translates to 120 tennis courts,
in India. Yet, much more can be done for cricket. Most 120 volleyball courts, 75 athletics & multi use fields including
Mumbaikars prefer playing with a softball for an hour or soccer grounds, 62 Badminton Courts and 75 swimming pools.
two each day compared to the serious leather ball users. The multi-use courts can also be used for non-conventional
Upgraded playing surfaces will go a long way in making sports like futsal and box cricket. This bare minimum
this experience more enjoyable for lakhs of people each infrastructure must be rolled out within the coming 2-4 years.
day. While cricket has flourished, a big push is needed for
football and volleyball as well. Most football pitches are
not freely accessible to Mumbaikars as they are managed
by private clubs. This is also the case with most cricket
pitches. These need to be made more accessible and more
affordable. Many small neighbourhood parks about an acre
in size can easily be converted into smaller football parks.
Multi-use surfaces will go a long way in encouraging greater
sporting diversity and increase the number of footfalls in
these POS. Volleyball, is also a popular team sport in the
city. Sadly, the courts are frequently improvised as is the net.
This is also an ideal sport to permit on the beaches Mumbai.
Today, Mumbai has 7 public swimming pools, 32 tennis
courts and 3 basketball courts that are open to the general
public with pay-and-use access. Many other private and
public premises also offer sports facilities including cricket
and football pitches, particularly in municipal and state-run
schools. Such facilities must be open to the general public Amateur cricketers prepare their pitch for a game of cricket at Shivaji
by students. These facilities must at once be refurbished and Park, Dadar || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
75
has won 543 medals from just 10 appearances. Many nations

with medal tallies far greater than India are in fact significantly
smaller than even the city of Mumbai with its population
around 12 million. In terms of medals per capita India ranks
139th in the world. Many in fact have populations smaller
than even the city of Mumbai. Sweden has 494 medals,
Hungary has 491, Cuba has 219, Belgium has 148, and Greece
has 117. These are all countries with populations lesser than
Mumbai. Estonia with 34 medals has a population that is lesser
than even the suburb of Andheri in Mumbai, yet, comfortably
exceeds the Indian medal tally. This demonstrates that even
smaller populations can achieve sporting excellence in
a conducive environment with quality sports infrastructure.
The provision of consistent and quality sports
infrastructure may not be possible to roll out across a nation
Mallakhamba, a traditional Indian sport in which a gymnast of 1.2 billion in a short period of time. Such investments
performs feats and poses with a vertical wooden pole or rope, being must be therefore made strategically where the chance of
practiced at Shivaji Park, Dadar returns in terms of potential medals is the highest. With
|| P.C: Amean J/Observer Research Foundation Mumbai millions of eager and talented children filling its schools
and universities, Mumbai is an ideal location for such
The gap between what sports infrastructure exists on focussed investments. Location, however, is just one part
ground today and what Mumbaikars deserve is very large. To of the strategy. Choosing the areas and disciplines to invest
get a sense of what is needed, we analysed India as a sporting in is also key. Swimming alone accounts for potentially
nation and benchmarked it against more successful sporting 34 events and 102 medals at each summer Olympics.
nations. This gave us a good idea of the not only the numbers Track-only events account for 78 medals. It would be
but also the sports which cities like Mumbai should focus on prudent to have Olympic-sized swimming pools across the
in the years to come. Recently, the MCGM has identified a city as well as running tracks. These facilities will benefit
few sporting activities like football, badminton, volleyball, not only serious sportspersons, but also those who are
basketball and has installed such facilities at open spaces seeking avenues for fitness and recreation. To deny public
on a random basis. There needs to be a section in place that access to swimming pools in a tropical, island city like
determines what facility should be matched at what location. Mumbai is to rob an entire population of a simple and
affordable source of relaxation, recreation and fitness.
OLYMPIC MISSION:
India accounts for one sixth of the global DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR
population. Apart from cricket and field hockey SPORTS IN MUMBAI
in years gone by, it remains the only major nation A handful of integrated sports facilities can be
in the world to have little or no presence in the found in select, member-exclusive gymkhanas of
world of sports and athletics. One look at India’s
performance at the Olympics shows the extent of this Mumbai and must embrace the Olympic Charter
deep-rooted and systemic problem and reveals a complete which reads as follows:
hopelessness felt by a nation that has been relegated to ‘The practice of sport is a human right. Every
individual must have the possibility of practicing
the role of the world’s biggest cheerleaders and spectators.
sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the
India ranks 54th in the world with a total medal tally of 28 Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding
from participating in 24 of the 28 summer Olympics games with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
from 1896 to 2016. China, the one truly comparable rival
has constituted a sports management board to provide

universal access to sports and inculcate a sporting
culture among the people of Delhi. It is the highest
decision making authority within Delhi with regards to
sports. It gives directions and advises on the
development of sports and watches over financial
health and over-all management of sports complexes.
Currently DDA operates 13 sports complexes, 1 mini
sports complex, 26 multi gyms (in addition to the
13 at the sports complexes), 13 swimming pools and
2 golf courses. It has announced significant scaling-up
of its operations and infrastructure in the near future.
These sports complexes work on licensing basis
Volleyball match in progress at a playground in Mumbai
where the licensee takes 60% of the profits while DDA
|| P.C: Gautam Kirtane keeps the rest. The entry prices are
set by the DDA to ensure affordability.
Mumbai. This private use of public land is only subsidised The proceeds are also used for the maintenance of these
for the privileged members of society. The Observer spaces.
Research Foundation Mumbai in its publication titled ‘2017, The MCGM must consider creating a body
India @ 70’ has conceptualised and detailed the idea of a that deals exclusively with sports within the city.
Mumbai Gymkhana to serve as the Bombay Gymkhana for Currently sports facilities, swimming pools etc.
the common man. It is envisioned as serving the Sports and come under the purview of the Garden Department.
Olympic ambitions of the city with a presence in each and Innovative tools akin to TDR and builder-incentives
every municipal ward. Its approach is to club diverse sports may need to be employed by the government to raise
facilities together to provide an integrated sports complex funds for this ambition. Public Private Partnerships
offering a variety of options to choose from and making it should also be considered for the construction,
easier to manage and administer. These Mumbai Gymkhanas operations and maintenance of all such facilities.
must guarantee priority access to school and university
students during fixed slots each day. For the remainder of the
day, there facilities must remain open to the general public.
The Mumbai Gymkhana’s motto is ‘Sports and Fitness for all.’
Several existing sports clubs, particularly cricket and soccer
clubs on popular playgrounds in the city must be amalgamated
into Mumbai Gymkhanas thus making the management and
administration of all sports activities centralised without
compromising any interests. Further, to promote more
casual cricket played with a soft ball, playgrounds should
be fitted with easy-to-maintain surfaces replacing uneven
pitches. Since this particular brand of cricket is played
by the masses, its rentals should be highly subsidised.
LEARNING FROM THE

DDA MODEL Citizens of Delhi enjoy their badminton game at a sports complex
Closer to home, Delhi has made a promising constructed and maintained by the Delhi Development Authority
start. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) (DDA) || Source: www.lbb.in
77
Promotion of Mumbai’s
history, culture, heritage
and arts through its public
open spaces
M
umbai has inspired some of the
greatest artists in the country and
has acted as melting pot of cultures
for a century. With rapid urbanisation,
western influence and diminishing interest,
the city’s arts, culture and heritage have lost
public appeal and remain largely relegated to
the private sphere. Many public places like
August Kranti and Azad Maidan, which are a
testament to this city’s rich and vibrant history
of freedom struggle are in a state of disarray.
Most of the precious waterfront-forts and
caves are either dilapidated or encroached
or both. Art installations adorn the walls The historical Azad Maidan located in South Mumbais
of elite galleries and museums. As Richard premier art and heritage district is one of the most
Engelhardt, celebrated conservation architect frequented open spaces in the city
said, “heritage is not only what you see when || P.C: Gautam Kirtane
A man plays with his child at an art installation at the Bandra Band Stand promenade || P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar
you look at a monument, but what you see from it”. instances where adoption of forts have been initiated by
Treating forts and caves as extensions of open spaces and been beneficial to the residents of a community. The
is as necessary as it is beneficial. Installing aesthetically beautification work done around Bandra fort revitalized
designed pieces of art in public spaces will not only the place into a safe, accessible and vibrant open space.
revitalise these spaces but also be used as a medium It also provided an outlet to display local art and culture
to promote our history, culture, heritage and to raise via the amphitheatre that was built there. The fort has
awareness about serious social issues. The notion been adopted by the Bandra Bandstand Residents Trust
that works of art should either be in museums and art which look after its upkeep. Recently the MCGM invited
galleries, or in the homes of the rich, must be discarded. suggestion from citizens on how to further beautify and
Mumbai should say ‘No’ to privatisation of beauty and restore the fort and has announced the release of its plan
make it the common and shared property of society. soon. Such citizen-initiated efforts must be encouraged
Mumbai currently has eight forts in various stages across the forts in Mumbai along with MCGM’s
of disarray, with the sole exception of the Bombay participation to reimagine these forts as the intersection
Castle at Fort. These waterfront forts while relevant of community, history, arts, heritage and culture.
historically, also have great potential to serve as vibrant Roads, road-dividers, road-junctions, bridges, foot-
open spaces and tourists destinations. Iconic forts like paths, sky walks, foot-over bridges, bus shelters,
the Worli and Mahim forts have turned into dumping municipal and government buildings, police stations,
grounds and hubs of anti-social activities. This neglect public hospitals, market places, etc., – indeed, all such
can be attributed to the lack of planning and community places that have high footfalls and high interface with
attachment to these places. However, there have been common people − must be also be tapped as potential
79
on the brink of extinction and bring them back into

the mainstream. Not only does this help preserve
cultures, but also promotes healthy community
interaction. Such festivals are championed by the
local community and, therefore, do not require
large allocation of resources from the MCGM.
Promoting such festivals will lead to better cross-
community linkages and provide cheap and easily
accessible avenues for recreation and entertainment.
Another feather in Mumbai’s proverbial cap is the
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival which has only increased
in size and popularity with every passing year.
The nine-day cultural festival is run by a citizen-led
non-profit, whose stated objective is maintaining
and preserving the heritage and art district of
South Mumbai. The festival sections are visual arts,
dance, music, theatre, cinema, literature including
children’s literature as a sub-section, workshops,
Koli women dressed in colourful traditional outfits selling seafood heritage walks, urban design and architecture,
at the Vesave Koli Festival. || Source: Vesave Koli Festival website
food, a dedicated section for children, and a vibrant
street section. Entry to all events is free to all and
costs are met through corporate sponsorship.
canvasses to display our art history and culture. Encouraged by the success of this event, many
The definition of open spaces must be further other followed suit, namely the Bandra festival,
expanded to include arenas/ amphitheatres for Parle Mahotsav etc. These festivals are the perfect
budding artists, performers etc. Civic institutions, embodiments of how easily accessible, cheap
like museums, public galleries, community art and community-driven programmes can revitalise
organisations, performing art institutions, arts council public spaces whilst providing avenues for art
and public arts organisations have a rare opportunity to and culture.
carry out creative community building programmes. What the city needs is a culture-led urban
Large open spaces can also be utilised as revitalisation, heritage conservation and development
makeshift performance areas for these purposes. of Mumbai. It will mandate improving the cultural
The MCGM must recognise the potential of these quality of all kinds of public spaces through
underutilised areas and neglected historic meaningful use of public art, distinctive
structures, inviting people to imagine them as architecture, design, and landscapes, etc. Towards
reanimated places. This move has the dual advantage this end, it will popularise the art and science
of providing an avenue to showcase talent while of placemaking, which is a series of imaginative,
providing cheap and easily accessible entertainment inclusive and participatory design interventions for the
to large communities of people who are otherwise transformation of public places into more democratically
deprived of most forms of artistic expressions. This useful, socially and culturally vibrant, aesthetically
is in stark contrast to multiplexes, theatres and other pleasing and environmentally sustainable destinations.
private-space recreation that are cost-prohibitive and
inherently exclusionary to a large number of people.
The koli festival in Mahim is a shining example
of how the government can promote certain cultures
Mumbai urban
greening mission
M
umbai is blessed with fertile soil and a
warm tropical climate that is conducive
for a very wide range of tree species
to flourish. Being a premier port for centuries
together has brought with it many foreign settlers,
cuisines, architecture and also trees from all
habited continents. Many of these trees have
taken root and survived for decades and centuries
in some cases. The lure of the exotic tree is very
strong and some like the oddly shaped Baobab
trees at Dhobitalao and Rani Baug stand out.
There are others like the magnificent rain trees
(Samanea saman) which form a mesmerising
avenue from Kalaghoda to the National Gallery
of Modern Art or the Gulmohars (Delonix regia) A pathway in the Maharashtra Nature park revealing
that set hanging gardens ablaze in the summer the green and brown hues of nature || Source: ORF
Mumbai report on MNP
or the copper shield bearer (Peltophorum
81
the hundreds of foreign species in the city and the nature of

their unique relationships with the birds, insects, mammals
and amphibians that call Mumbai home. We may still never
know for sure. A sad but striking example is the recent mealy
bug infestation which has wiped out large number of rain
trees across the length and breadth of the city. These trees
have withstood the ups and downs of Mumbai for decades
together only to be destroyed almost overnight by an invasive
insect species. A few decades of foreign species is hardly
enough time to determine its impact on such an ecosystem.
The large-scale takeover of ground vegetation by the
invasive lantana species across tiger reserves in India is grim
reminder of enthusiastic botanical experiments going wrong.
Some native trees have also played spoil sport to the many
iconic buildings in the city whose attractive architecture
and indo-gothic facades have all but been eclipsed by rogue
trees. Even heritage buildings in the south of the city have
not been spared. The Peepal tree (Ficus religiosa) is a very
hardy species that grows out of stone walls, brick walls
and around leaking pipes on buildings. They grow fast and
remain firmly rooted which makes them very difficult to
remove. Their religious significance is another reason that
The Bougainvillea, are common ornamental flowering plants, found

in gardens, traffic islands and even road dividers in Mumbai
pterocarpum) with its copious yellow flowers and the

Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) that dots the entire city.
All these may all be easily mistaken for native tree species.
In fact the opposite is true. This may not seem like
cause for alarm but it may well be that a the horticulture
and gardens department along with well-meaning yet
uninformed citizens have for decades gone on multiple,
ad-hoc plantation drives across the city and sowed seeds of
potentially ecological disharmony on every street in Mumbai.
Not every foreign tree species is necessarily an invasive, Jacaranda trees come alive in the summer with a canopy of flowers
ecological hazard but knowing this for sure is very difficult. by mid-March lasting well into late April
It will take immense patience to document the life cycle of || Source: http://blog.asiantown.net/
An ariel view of Maharashtra Nature Park (MNP), a green lung in Mahim, which is house to several trees, birds and flowers
|| Source: ORF Mumbai report on MNP
they have become permanent features even endangering flower each summer. The many hues of pink and purple
thousands of structures including buildings and even from blossoming Jarul trees (Lagerstroemia indica) that
bridges across Mumbai. While they may be perfect ecological line the Yogakhema Building near Mantralaya are a great
fits they cannot be tolerated at the cost of robbing the choice considering that they are native to this region within
city’s façades and the safety of its inhabitants. Today there the country. It is also the state flower of Maharashtra.
are modern machines that make the entire process of tree The Indian Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis), Neem
transplantation safer and quicker. The city must consider (Azadirachta indica), Coconut (Cocus Nucifera), Mango
transplantation of problematic trees which block roads, (Mangifera Indica), Golden shower tree (Cassia fistula)
footpaths, building facades or inconvenience and endanger and Badam (Terminalia catappa) are a handful of options
the city and its millions sufficiently to warrant relocation. that make up a substantially wide range of native species
Another failure of planning is a feature conspicuous to choose from today. There are also enough number of
by its absence. Avenues. Across the world great avenues footpaths and open spaces in which these can be planted.
have become part of the identity of many a city. Consistent They will not only increase the green cover of the city but
avenues made up of strategically selected native species are become ecological assets for generations to come. There is
rare in Mumbai. None come to mind. There are so many need to involve citizens in this process and set ambitious
beautiful flowering and shade-giving native species of trees yet achievable targets that can be easily mapped on a GIS
that would make for wonderful avenues. Even Laburnum platform, monitored and supported by a citizen-friendly
Road leading to Mani Bhavan, the erstwhile residence app. Each year, Mumbai should look visibly greener
of Mahatma Gandhi in Mumbai has lost all its signature from the sky, welcoming millions who fly in to the city.
laburnum trees. The Jacarandas (Jacaranda mimosifolia) On the ground, the city’s trees must become a means
on Hazarimal Somani Marg have be interrupted by random to improve the quality of life of Mumbaikars who are
species, yet give a glimpse in to their past glory when they choked today with dangerously high levels of air pollution.
83

84 / Foreword
85
AFTERWORD:
THE MUMBAI REVISED
DRAFT DEVELOPMENT PLAN
(RDDP) 2014-2034
T
he Development Plan is a blueprint, a DP, had recognised the need to increase the open
perspective and a vision for any city. For space in absolute as well as in per capita terms
Mumbai city, a DP is charted every twenty across the city. It had made an effort through
years, and makes necessary provisions its TDR policies which allowed them to procure
for land acquisition and development according private space and convert it to public space by
to the population projections. These reservations offering development incentives to land owners.
take into consideration the need to increase open The new proposed DP has set very ambitious
spaces, conserve green cover and natural areas, targets that aims at quadrupling the open space
among other things. Currently, the formulation in the city. It has called for reserving a uniform
of the next development plan for 2014-2034 is 4 m per capita of open space across the city.
underway and in the final stages of approval. In the present situation, the city averages at
Typically, a Draft Development Plan (DDP) is an abysmal 1 m2 per capita. This, too, is not an
first drawn up which culminates into the DP. In absolute number, considering several spaces
case of Mumbai, owing to the discrepancies in the which fall under this statistic, like gymkhana
DDP, an Revised Draft Development Plan (RDDP) grounds, are not open to everyone. A peek into
was formulated, which is now under consideration . the past shows that the 1991 DP, too, had
The current plan, also known as the 1991-2011 ambitious targets laid out when it started off
86 / Afterword: The Mumbai Revised Draft Development Plan (RDDP) 2014-2034

25-years ago. It had set a target of 2 m2 per capita for spaces by rehousing the slum dwellers on 50% of the open
city and 4 m2 per capita for the suburban spaces land18.
parts of Mumbai, which have not been met. Similarly, while considering natural areas like mangroves
To meet this target, the RDDP 2014-2034 lists and saltpan land within the ambit of public open space
out measures like acquiring encroached spaces, (POS), the RDDP mentions that ‘over a period of time
including green areas, reclaiming land, including it hopes to see a meaningful conversion of these spaces
land owned by special planning authorities in the into POS’. It suggests that 25% land which falls under No
DP and bringing in an accommodation reservation (AR) Development Zone (NDZ) come under public open space.
clause, much of which might not be easily achievable. In addition, areas under Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT),
While it is true that Mumbai should be setting salt pan land, mangroves and recreation and tourism
ambitious goals for its open spaces, there needs to be are also included under POS. This is projected to be
an assessment of whether this number is approximately 850 hectare, making up for 0.66 m2 per
both realistic and achievable in terms of the capita of Mumbai. Thtis needs to be assessed realistically.
measures to be taken and costs involved. A 2005 high court order calls for declaring
The proposed RDDP document itself shows how the mangroves as ‘protected forests’19 while another
MCGM will need to shell out Rs 6193 crore if it needs restricts any kind of development on wetlands20.
to cover up for the acquisition deficit of 19.17 million Wetlands and mangroves are natural lungs of the city,
m2 of land if it needs to meet the target of 4 m2 per person. and need to be protected. While providing permeable
With an annual municipal budget of Rs 25,000 pathways through the mangrove areas may seem like
crore (2017-18), and Rs 828 crore set aside for all land an attractive proposition for nature lovers, in reality,
acquisitions (for all civic amenities like encroachments on mangroves has been a burgeoning
parking, markets, cemeteries including open problem in the city which the MCGM has failed to reign in.
spaces), it seems unlikely that this will happen. And so, opening up these areas legally without
Apart from cost issues, the RDDP lists out measures to having a protection mechanism in place will only
inflate the open spaces areas. This includes encroached destroy these natural sponges which play an
spaces and green spaces in the reservation for open spaces, important role in protecting the environment.
reclaiming land, including land owned by special MbPT has for the past decade has been contemplating
planning authorities in the DP and bringing in the idea of opening up a major chunk of their land,
an accommodation reservation (AR) clause, approximately 1800 area of dockland for development
much of which might not be easily achievable. and 60% for amenities and open space21. It is a matter
Encroached open spaces located in pre-1991 slums of debate on whether a project that is not in the
have been shown as open spaces in the RDDP. It says MCGM’s control, or consultation, should be included
that by maintaining the open spaces reservation, in the future public open space area projections of
the MCGM would be sending out a clear the city. Currently, this entire space is inaccessible.
signal that encroachers are not incentivised. The projected tourism department plots are more in
To tackle the issue of encroached open spaces, the new the western suburbs along Madh-Marve and are green
development control rules (DCR) has now proposed for zones leased to private entities. It has less than half
a mechanism for part development of encroached open a dozen plots on South and Central Mumbai which
18 Purohit Kunal, BMC plans to redevelop slums on open spaces, Hindustan Times (May 09, 2016)
19 Maharashtra gives reserved forests status to mangroves, Down to Earth (23 August 2016)
20 Mumbai: ‘No reclamation or construction on wetlands’, Hindustan Times (Jan 29, 2014)
21 Koppikar Smruti, A peek at government plan to redevelop Mumbai’s 1,800-acre docklands, Scroll.in (Jan 27, 2015)
87
Aarey milk colony, spread over 3160 acres comprises of gardens, a nursery, lakes, an observation pavilion, picnic facilities, and milk plants.
|| Source: Mumbailive.com
are also leased. One of the plots has been leased to Such inclusion is healthy, however, it cannot be done in
a water sports company in South Mumbai22. Such isolation but needs to be done in consultation with the SPA’s.
inaccessible spaces cannot be called public open spaces. MCGM has always been at loggerheads with the MMRDA
Another proposal listed out in the RDDP is for ‘green on development of roads and civic amenities, and so it is
reclamation’ of natural pockets of the sea. Under this, a in the interest of citizens that authorities at least look at
land will be reclaimed at Cuffe Parade in South Mumbai to planning public amenities in consultation with each other.
establish a 300-acre Central Park along with adding 50m As far as MIDC is concerned, much of the industrial land it
on the seaward side on the entire stretch of the coastal owns in Mumbai is inaccessible to public. As per the policy,
road which will add 88 hectares to Mumbai’s open space. the MIDC reserves 10% of the total plots in the industrial
No Coastal Zone Regulation (CRZ) norms were considered estates- of which 5% are reserved to provide basic amenities
and nor any environmental impact assessment was conducted to the industries and the rest of the 5% for tree plantation.
while marking out the 300-acre central park in Cuffe Parade. But much of it is encroached upon because of lack of fencing.
The park is proposed in South Mumbai, which already Lastly, the RDDP introduces the Accommodation
has several open grounds, promenades and green spaces. Reservation (AR) concept as an attempt to address the issue
Clubbing of land under different authorities for of the deficit in funding for acquisition of land for open
better urban planning is a progressive move in the spaces. In the AR scheme, the MCGM will get 70% of the
RDDP. In the current plan, 428 hectare of land under total space for the amenity it is reserved for. It will pay for only
special planning authorities (SPA’s) like MMRDA 5% of reserved land, 15% of building construction and 20% of
and MIDC are included, that include open spaces. open space and cemetery development. In turn, the private
22 Maharashtra Tourism website https://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/mtdc/lands/mumbai-city (30th December 2016)
88 / Afterword: The Mumbai Revised Draft Development Plan (RDDP) 2014-2034

Work in progress at the Mumbai Port Trust || Source: Mumbai port trust website
land owners will be given an incentive FSI. They will get full Community cohesiveness and inclusion of leisure
development rights to the size of their original plots. Besides, parks, food districts, amphitheatre, picnic spots,
if they agree to build that amenity for the MCGM, they will playgrounds:
get 0.5 times the TDR. This concept will allow the MCGM The RDDP talks of design of public open spaces and
to pay in terms of ‘development rights’, instead of money. the need to make it cohesive for the community around it.
The AR clause has invited huge criticism from urban The provision of amphitheatres, discussion corners,
experts and open space activists. They have pointed possibility of having open air conferences and meetings
out that MCGM should allot more money for such in a public space is a vision that is truly behoving for a global
amenity plots and not just a measly 70% of space. city like Mumbai. Leisure parks, picnic grounds, food districts
The RDDP 2014-2034 has also introduced are no more a luxury but a necessity that make up for the
some noteworthy initiatives which are easily cultural fabric of a vibrant city. It also gives spaces for families
implementable and can add to the quality of open to interact and spend their weekends, and encourage sport.
spaces as recommended in our report. These include:
Accessibility for senior citizens, handicapped:
Multi-space usage: Mumbai as a city has grossly neglected the needs
The RRDP lays down a very encouraging, achievable of these two sections of the society – the aged and
and futuristic model of multi-space use for increasing handicapped. This RDDP calls for paying special attention
the public open spaces in the city. It includes public/semi- to their needs by making spaces accessibility friendly,
community spaces, open spaces in public and educational by providing for pathways that would be wheelchair,
institutes, greens below flyovers under its ambit. This is stroller and motor scooter friendly. The seating in
already being implemented in several schools (St Andrews POS’s will have to cater to the needs of these sections.
at Bandra West) in Mumbai and also areas below flyovers In conclusion, the RDDP 2014-2034, is progressive
(the Matunga flyover) which are being converted into and framed with the right intent. It is now upto the
green patches. Similarly, beach promenades are used for administrative capabilities of the MCGM backed by political
food festivals, like the Koli Food festival at Mahim beach. will, which will ensure a better planned and holistic city.
89
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This report could not have been possible without the contribution and support of the following people.
Our chairman Shri Sudheendra Kulkarni for his unconditional support and patience, and giving us a free rein to
explore the subject.
Vice-president and Senior Fellow Dhaval Desai for going through the entire report and giving us a meaningful
feedback.
We are also grateful to our colleagues from ORF Mumbai, Nilesh Bane and Swarup Pandit, who helped us with
Marathi translations, which greatly assisted the research.
Our sincere gratitude to Farah Mahbub, Amean J, Ameya Pimpalkhare, Tapas Kulkarni and Swarup Pandit for
their photography inputs.
Our survey couldn’t have been a success without our foot soldiers Seema Redkar, Dayanand Jadhav, PG Darji,
Anushka Kelaskar, Naresh Yadav, Sunil Chilekar and other colleagues.
We would also like to thank Rahil Shaikh for designing this report.
Finally, we would like to thank all our external resources and officials from the Registrar General & Census
Commissioner, MCGM garden department, MCGM Archives and Khar library for their support.
ORF Mumbai
publications on
open spaces
RE-ENVISIONING MCGM’S FLAWED ADOPTION POLICY TO ENSURE HOLISTIC

AND PRO-PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT OF MUMBAI’S OPEN SPACE
By Sayli Udas-Mankikar and Gautam Kirtane
This was a landmark report on the proposed adoption policy for open
spaces of Mumbai leading up to a multi-stakeholder, roundtable discussion
in October 2015. ORF Mumbai first translated the policy into English, did
an analysis report, and took it to the next level by holding a multi-stakeholder
discussion providing an interactive platform for healthy exchange of ideas.
The principal objective of this report was to empower citizens and all tiers of
government to understand this policy in its entirety and suitably represent the
views and feedback of key stakeholder groups. We feel that such policies will
inevitably make their way into the workings of other urban local bodies across India.
INDIA @ 70 – REVIVAL OF INDIA’S FREEDOM MOVEMENT HERITAGE
By Sudheendra Kulkarni, Gautam Kirtane,

Ratan J. Batliboi & Associates
Mumbai has played a glorious role in India’s Freedom Struggle. Sadly very little
of this rich heritage is known to the average Mumbaikar. A major reason for this is
the shocking state of places that commemorate the great personalities and events
associated with the Freedom Struggle. This is exemplified most starkly by the neglect
and spatial degradation of the most important open spaces in the city – August Kranti
Maidan and Azad Maidan. ORF Mumbai, in collaboration with Ratan J. Batliboi
Consultants, has done a study that recommends a comprehensive transformation
of these two maidans using the concepts of placemaking. The makeover is intended
to not only enhance all the contemporary uses, but also introduce new activities
that can attract citizens and tourists to enjoy these two iconic public places.
MAKING THE SEWER A RIVER AGAIN ~ WHY MUMBAI MUST

RECLAIM ITS MITHI
By Gautam Kirtane (2011)
A first-of-its kind comprehensive study of the Mithi River, it begins by tracing

the river’s history as connected to the history of the land (beginning in the 3rd
century BCE) and its inhabitants. It studies all aspects of the Mithi’s evolution
and its more recent degeneration. It gives a synopsis of all the official studies
before and after the deluge of 26 July 2005 and establishes the image of the
river as one of Mumbai’s most critical environmental assets. It borrows from
national and international best-practices and presents a unified vision for the
future of the Mithi River. It gives shape to the Mithi River Park Corridor along
the entire 18-km length of the river from its origin in the hills of Sanjay Gandhi
National Park at Vihar and Powai Lakes to its confluence with the Arabian Sea
in the Mahim Estuary. The report is complemented by a short film which has
been widely used for creating awareness about the river and its restoration.
PLAY
By Sourav Kumar Biswas (2013)
The purpose of this study is to highlight an often overlooked aspect of

planning for public spaces in Mumbai – namely, public spaces in slums and
informal settlements. The dominant conversation focuses on preserving open
spaces against incessant urbanisation in the form of protected parks, gardens,
and maidans. By exploring successful examples of interventions around the
world that improved lives without displacing communities, the essay hopes
to make the case for a more imaginative approach towards social inclusion
in Mumbai. It highlights the practices within informal settlements as well as
the challenges for housing and policy-making in Mumbai to finally propose
a vision that places the playground at the very heart of inclusive development.
MAXIMISING MUMBAI’S PARKS FOR ITS RESIDENTS
By Rishi Aggarwal and Karishma Makeshwar
This report places importance on removing timing restrictions on gardens in

Mumbai and enabling more Mumbaikars to enjoy them for longer periods of time.
MUMBAI’S SECRET – STORY OF MAHARASHTRA NATURE PARK
By Devashree Sharma, Gautam Kirtane,

Dhaval Desai & Riddhi Chokhawala
As a follow up to the recommendations of the Mithi River Report of 2011 and

upon the suggestion of the former Metropolitan Commissioner of the MMRDA,
ORF Mumbai began working on the Maharahstra Nature Park – a 37-acre forested
environment created atop the city’s erstwhile dumping ground at Dharavi. The report
presents a set of recommendations and a long-term vision. It pushes for increasing
the existing forested area and connecting it to nearly 400 acres of mangroves and
mudflats in the vicinity by means of a new elevated 4-km boardwalk. It seeks to
increase the diversity and numbers of daily footfalls in the park from 100 to 4,000
and introduces of multitude of educational and nature-based activities. It also
proposes significant vehicular decongestion in the neighbourhood by providing
for a pedestrian and cyclist-only bridge over the Mithi River to seamlessly connect
Sion and Chunnabhatti Railway stations to the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).
OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION (ORF) MUMBAI:
DEDICATED TO INDIA’S HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT
Observer Research Foundation the Foundation’s vision in India’s

(ORF) is India’s leading non- business and finance capital. It has
partisan, not-for-profit and started research and advocacy in
independent think tank that seeks to six main areas: Education, Public
influence public debate and public Health, Inclusive Development,
policy formulation. It was established Urban Renewal, Youth Development,
in New Delhi in 1990 by the late and Promotion of India’s Priceless
R. K. Mishra, a widely respected Artistic and Cultural Heritage.
public figure, who envisaged it It is headed by Shri Sudheendra
as a broad-based intellectual Kulkarni, a social activist and public
platform pulsating with ideas intellectual, who worked as an
needed for India’s nation-building. aide to former Prime Minister Shri
In its journey of 26 years, ORF Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the PMO.
has brought together leading ORF Mumbai’s mission
Indian policy makers, academics, statement is: Ideas and Action
public figures, social activists and for a Better India. It champions
business leaders to discuss various the cause of balanced socio-
issues of national importance. economic development and a
Beginning 2010, ORF Mumbai better quality of life for all Indians.
has been re-activated to pursue

NKM International House, 5th floor
178, Backbay Reclamation, Babubhai Chinai Margh,
Mumbai 400020
For any further information or queries please contact:
Sayli Udas-Mankikar | Research Fellow

sayli.mankikar@orfonline.org +91 9820201107
Dwip Rachchh | Associate Research Fellow

dwip.rachchh@orfonline.org +91 8268989942
98 / Foreword

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Endangered Future of Mumbai’s open Spaces

Observer Research Foundation Mumbai

Introduction The image of Mumbai city 7

Open spaces in numbers 11

MCGM’s open spaces journey 19

Managment and governance in MCGM 27

Garden department budget 33

Mumbai Speaks: Survey, methodology 43

Afterword: The Mumbai Revised Draft 86

6 / Introduction The image of Mumbai city

“Public space should be regarded as the living room of the city.”

Critical feedback from readers is most welcome.

Photo Credit (PC): Farah Mahbub

Photo Credit (P.C): Farah Mahbub

1 Report on Draft development Plan-2034 ( May 2016)

8 / Introduction The image of Mumbai city

is not available for the management suggest a vision matched by a policy

4 S. 63 (d) The Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888

P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar

7 Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Greater Mumbai, Executive summary, http://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlroadsdocs

(30th December 2016)

OWNERSHIP OF POS DISTRIBUTION OF POS

POS - Public Open Spaces

Mumbai stands at promenades. This brings the effective

of open space per capita these categories on the basis of any

10 Existing Land Use report, MCGM, http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlddevplan (3rd January 2017)

12 / Open spaces in numbers

CLASSIFICATION OF MCGM-OWNED LANDS

TOTAL 1,068 acres

CLASSIFICATION OF MCGM OWNED PLOTS BY SIZE

4 Less Than 0.5

Few open spaces of Mumbai in numbers:

Horniman Circle Garden= 12,021 square meters ( 2.97 acres)

Joggers Park, Bandra West- 16,600.50 square meters ( 4.10 acres)

14 / Open spaces in numbers

Ward Areas WARD-WISE DISTRIBUTION OF

ward cannot be arithmetically

disparity between the highest wards is unacceptable. The MCGM

11 MCGM website http://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlgarden1 (30th December 2016)

16 / Open spaces in numbers

P.C: Sayli Udas Mankikar

Chief Minister stays

THE OPEN 2017

JOURNEY the MCGM

20 / MCGM’s open spaces journey

accordance with the 1967 Development

The Garden Department of the

department dealing with the its residents staying in informal

upkeep and maintenance open spaces were marked on the DP,

of open spaces took shape

starting with 600 municipal In its development plan of 1991 the

employees. to acquire the stipulated number of

More recently the poor management of

1991 the MCGM acknowledged mandatory duty. This is also used to

its inability to acquire management of the city’s green spaces.

the stipulated number of

resources. Municipal Commissioner comprised

22 / MCGM’s open spaces journey

OPEN SPACES PER PERSON (m2)

UDPFI - Urban Development Plans Formulation and Implementation formulated by GOI

24 / MCGM’s open spaces journey

OUR ANALYSIS OF THE 2016 INTERIM POLICY

• The committees, as described by the policy, are predominantly constituted

• This is again a policy that focuses exclusively on adoption without laying

Endangered Future of Mumbai's Open Spaces

Endangered Future of Mumbai's Open Spaces