It's important to give attention to port land to revitalise Mumbai: Meera Sanyal

What is the Apli Mumbai Movement?
Apli means "our" in Marathi and also stands for A Port Land Initiative Mumbai Movement. For this, APLI Mumbai team has been invited to assist as expert members.
APLI Mumbai is a citizens' initiative envisioning a redevelopment plan for Mumbai's port land that ensures the increase of liveability of the Greater Mumbai region. The agenda for this movement is to highlight the key concerns of illegal coal dumping around port land and re-defining it for the citizens.

How did you initiate this movement?
Mumbai's port lands, (comprising approximately 1,000 acres of non-operational land within the Mumbai Port Trust, along the eastern waterfront) represent a unique, and perhaps the only, chance to revitalise and reimagine Mumbai.
Mumbai port was once the fulcrum of a great industrial city from the 18th to 20th century. However, with rising costs, industries migrated, leading to a decline in port operations. Once thriving warehouses turned derelict, and the area is now a dumping ground for coal (1.8 million tonnes in 2013), a toxic ship breaking yard (where the iconic aircraft carrier Vikrant has been beached for scrap), and other polluting and undesirable activities.

The port lands area offers us a unique chance to invest in creating this infrastructure, without which our city will never be able to attract the talent and investment needed to retain its stature as the commercial capital of India. Sadly, we have turned our back to it.

Any specific reason you have chosen Mumbai port land?
Mumbai today is unable to offer utilities or space to its citizens. It has become a very difficult place to live in, work in and invest in. While leadership, governance, laws, regulatory frameworks and institutions will all need to be strengthened for this to change, it is also clear that our city suffers a critical shortage of space for essential public utilities and spaces that make any city liveable.

The re-development of port lands offers a unique opportunity to re-invent our city by creating the much needed public infrastructure, utilities and space we are so short of.
Our plans integrate the port lands with adjacent areas, such as Sewri, Lalbaug, Byculla, Mazgaon, Dongri and Bhendi Bazaar.

Do you think this initiative will bring the kind of result you're hoping for?
We can bring change only through citizen awareness and participation, so yes, I am very hopeful that through our combined efforts, we can bring out a result that is a win-win, both for Mumbai and Mumbaikars.

Such movement requires a lot of funding, so how have you been able to manage sponsors for this?
It is a citizens' initiative and everyone has contributed their time and effort pro bono for our city. Certain institutions, such as MERI and Kala Ghoda Association, have been extraordinarily generous and made their facilities available for free. Indian Merchants' Chamber and Columbia have provided the thought leadership and partnered in hosting the exhibition and conference event.

What are your expectations from the initiative?
We hope the government will consider our ideas and proposals for the urban regeneration of the port land. Mumbai can and should become a 'smart city', with the port land as its nucleus.

What are your other projects?
The urban development committee of the IMC, in partnership with Columbia, Studio X and Apli Mumbai, has planned a series of activities to focus attention on the port land such as a painting competition in schools, a video competition amongst college students of mass communication, a photography competition, and tactical urbanisation projects, among others.