Mumbai: Citizens Demand Say In Coastal Road Landscaping; Call For Urban Forest Instead Of Concrete Jungle

The citizen activists demand that suggestions should be heard and incorporated before the landscaping work of reclaimed land along the Coastal Road begins. The BMC recently selected Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to do the landscaping of around 70 hectares of reclaimed land after inviting Expression of Interest. However, Reliance is yet to submit its design plan.

"We demand to incorporate the feedback from all the stakeholders, including the citizens, in the BMC's review on RIL's Coastal Road landscaping proposal lest it turns to another Urban Concrete Jungle," said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee of Watchdog Foundation.

"In Mumbai, ratio of trees to people is significantly low, with one tree every four people. Urban forest is needed of the hour for city," he added.

Pimenta has suggested dense plantations of native species by Miyawaki method as implemented in Chembur, Powai, Jogeshwari, Marol etc.; adding that the plantations will also fill up government's target of planting 10 crore saplings state-wide. 

In its letter to Maharashtra CM, BMC and other concerned authorities, the Watchdog Foundation has asked to publish proposal submitted by RIL and invite suggestions from citizens, forest experts, NGOs etc. 

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Meanwhile, the residents of Breach Candy who have been demanding creation of Urban forest on the Coastal Road reclaimed land have officially submitted their proposal to the BMC, and waiting to hold a joint meeting with BMC and RIL to discuss the design plan.

The residents proposal is with an objective to convert the land parcels along the coastal road to ‘Climate Smart and People Friendly’. It suggests planting native trees zone-wise- seaward side, central zone and residential edge.

"This is the opportunity to have a urban forest in Mumbai which we should not miss," said N Lakhani, resident of Breach Candy.