MUMBAI: The decision to hand over 1,387 hectares (around 3,427 acres) scattered across Aksa, Daravli, Erangal, Madh, Malvani and Marve, free of any encumbrances, to MMRDA was taken at the authority’s meeting chaired by CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on December 12.
The land has huge commercial potential as it is located on Mumbai’s coast and offers transport connectivity via Metro 2A (Dahisar to D N Nagar) and the proposed Coastal road, sources said.
At present, MMRDA is the special planning authority for development of land at BKC and Wadala. Also, its recent appointment as SPA for Kurla’s Mother Dairy land, the Worli Dairy and Ramabai Nagar is set to help generate revenue for the cash-strapped development agency which is involved in big-ticket projects like Metros, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, flyovers and roads in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The Development Plan 2034, approved in 2018, had envisaged that the Malad parcel (the full 1,387 hectares) would be used for setting up affordable housing facilities, public open spaces, cinema and TV production facilities, the IT industry, amusement park, and for development of tourism, among other things.
Activists and environmentalists however said the Malad land should be kept intact and the coastline should not be touched. Stalin Dayanand of the NGO Vanashakti said, “The area was the common man’s place for relaxation and recreation. It is being taken away for construction activity. There are enough of other spaces in Mumbai to build another BKC instead of destroying the natural beauty of this coastal area.”
Activist Godfrey Pimenta said, “It is fine if MMRDA clears slums in Malvani to develop this land, but they should avoid venturing close to coastal areas as it is an eco-sensitive zone.” Activist Rishi Agarwal said, “They should not touch these spaces as built-up space in Mumbai has piled up. We used to call Mumbai a concrete jungle decades ago. Now we need to protect the available green spaces.”
A Malad resident who did not wish to be named said, “Why can’t they think of building another BKC by clearing slum pockets instead of creating a concrete jungle in this part of Mumbai?”
As SPA, MMRDA will be involved in preparation of development plans for areas under it and selling of land for various purposes. It will also issue development permissions and NoCs. In July 2022, MMRDA was granted approval by state cabinet to raise Rs 60,000 crore in loans. In Phase I, Rs 12,000 crore will be borrowed, for which the government has decided to stand as guarantor to fund infrastructure projects in MMR.
