MUMBAI metropolis is the most populated city of the country and has the most efficient sub-urban rail-based public transport system in the country. The airports in Mumbai handle the largest proportion of national and international passenger and cargo traffic while the port handles about one-eighth of sea cargo. Over the last few facades, the history of Mumbai’s development is the history of crossing one unknown threshold after another.

The history of waterfront development in the coastal region of India in international trade and commerce sense is also linked predominantly with Mumbai that has the most effective international linkages and business ties. Ironically the central business district of Mumbai at Nariman Point/ Churchgate characterised by tidal commuter flows with long journey lengths is fully saturated and as a matter of fact overcrowded and congested.

The role played by Navi Mumbai and the northern suburbs in accommodating population increases and spillover/ relocated urban functions and the initiative of MMRDA to relieve congestion from south Mumbai by developing the international finance and business centre in the reclaimed land of Bandra-Kurla Complex are to be appreciated. Yet, it is increasingly evident that there is a demand for quality space for profile commercial and trading activities of global, national and regional significance.

Confronted with positive forces of dynamic change in the IT and electronic industry, financial and business services, international tourism and recreation, there is a need to develop a mega multi-functional city in Mumbai metropolis. Herein emphasis is to be placed on business and tourism recreation, expo/exhibitions, conventions and knowledge, profile human habitats and clean industry. Such a mega centre should be comparable inter-alia to waterfront centres in Sydney, Barcelona, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. Thus Mumbai has to find ways and means to overcome another threshold to achieve another milestone.

With this objective in mind, there is need to identify a central location where adequate land is available. It has to be a location that has high all-round accessibility and strong physical linkages with respect to Mumbai City, the proximity of Navi Mumbai and the northern suburbs. Further it has to be a location where it is easy to develop the multi-modal transport system for travel optimisation and reasonable journey lengths. Fortunately, the only site that comes close to satisfying these parameters is located to the east of NH-3, to the south of the northern suburbs of metropolitan region and to the north of the existing CBD at Nariman Point / Churchgate area.

Defined specifically this site is accessed from NH-3, the Mumbai-Panvel (Y. Chavan) Road/suburban railway and Mulund Airoli Road and is spread in the salt pans around the Thane Creek to the west of Navi Mumbai. This contiguous site admeasures about 5500 hectares and has an excellent potential of being developed as a seafront of the range, magnitude and elegance of Baltimore waterfront, Sydney Harbour, Barcelona Waterfront and Battery Park-Manhattan. However, this site, presently designated as coastal regulations zone (CRZ), is located in the heart of Mumbai Metropolitan Region and not located in a rural area. Keeping in view that this site around Thane Creek is not encroached though it is misused for open defecation, it is appropriate that the site is optimally utilised to develop projects that ensure value addition in global terms. Accordingly, there is a need to prepare a plan to enhance the environmental quality of the area. An imminent step in this regard is to accord statutory approval to a master plan prepared for the area by the MMRDA. Once such a master plan is backed up by the statutory approval, the designation of the area as CRZ will cease and the master plan will become statutory. Accordingly, it is a basic prerequisite that the process of mobilisation of opinion is initiated to deregulate this CRZ/NDZ and make the prime urban land available for developing value addition business, clean industry, electronic and IT and tourism related projects of international, national and regional importance. For this purpose the support of the statutory plan is a basic prerequisite.

It is proposed to develop a high profile mega central business city for Mumbai Metropolitan Region in the site around the Thane Creek. This city should have the highest possible infrastructure standards. This is based on an anchor with commercial, recreation, amusement, entertainment, sports stadium, golf course etc served by rail/road and water transport. To the north there is another anchor that provides trade and commerce, services, utilities and facilities. Fronting the sea-shore, a spine with tourism, corporate complexes, hotels and paid recreation is proposed. In this respect construction of a retaining wall is proposed along the water edge and a seafront pedestrian promenade and vehicular road cater to north-south movement. Adequate linkage with Bhandup area and Navi Mumbai is ensured at a number of positions. There are four corridors 60 to 80 metro wide with road-based and dedicated reservation for road- or rail-based public transport system circuiting the complex. There will be east-west avenues of 30 to 45 metre right of way with landscaped sides.

The south-west anchor (850 hectares) has a transport node for luxury liners and boats. A waterbus service is envisaged between south Mumbai and this mega centre. This south-west anchor has recreation facilities like golf courses, stadia and play courts, gyms, parlours, clubs and sports complexes and support commercial/residential facilities. The south-east anchor (800 hectares) has mostly seafood estates and resorts and hotels with departmental stores in addition to seafront activities.

In the north-west expanse (2500 hectares), the key components of the proposal are a waterfront recreation, entertainment and amusement activities, tourist activities like resorts, malls, food plazas, beaches, water sports etc. In the second belt, corporate/company offices, profile housing and facilities are proposed. In the third belt mixed uses with emphasis on housing and facilities are proposed while in the fourth belt institutions, facilities and services are proposed. The north-west edge of this anchor has mostly trade and commerce, warehousing and utilities and facilities. A key feature of the proposal is to designate an area of about 500 hectares as enterprise economic zone in the north-east expanse (1450 hectares). This zone is envisaged to reinforce attraction of the location for light and clean industry; and as a place with pleasant housing environment. This zone can have advertisement, media and graphic/newspaper industry, wholesale firms, electronic plants and headquarters of electronic and data companies.

The proposed development of the region will have far-reaching advantages for the city and the state in terms of a significant surge on the economic front through massive construction and related activities, substantial employment generation and overall development and beautification of the city.

This is a conceptual proposal and has to be examined for feasibility in collaboration with MMRDA and related government agencies. Further involvement of foreign direct investment (FDI) and participation in construction for realisation of this vision will greatly facilitate implementation and marketing of unique and pleasant living and working and recreational environment and infrastructure of the highest international standards.