The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (Cidco) is the implementing agency for the airport project and also the special planning authority for Naina, which at 561sqkm spread over Thane and Raigad, will be larger than Mumbai.
A world-class modern city, growth centres around which the urban agglomeration can develop, and mixed use areas to minimise the need for people to travel to work due to a healthy mix of residential and commercial areas — in short, an antithesis of how modern Indian cities, with their trademark congestion, unplanned urban sprawl, squalor and massive commuting requirements, which take the joy out of life and work, have developed over the years.
This is how the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (Naina), which will be one of the largest such planned greenfield developments in India, is proposed to be shaped up. The state government think tank Mumbai Transformation Support Unit (MTSU) will soon launch a study on the economic development and planning for the city, which will come up around the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport project.
The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (Cidco) is the implementing agency for the airport project and also the special planning authority for Naina, which at 561sqkm spread over Thane and Raigad, will be larger than Mumbai.
"Economic activity decides how a city grows," MTSU project director BC Khatua told dna. He added that the proposed study of the economic development, planning and implementation strategy for Naina would go into how many growth centres needed to be developed, their location and area and the economic activity or theme to be undertaken in them.
Comprehensive transport planning, identification of sources of water based on population projections and development of open, green spaces would also be covered.
The MTSU is in the process of appointing consultants and has issued expressions of interest. The study is expected to start in a month and be completed in less than a year while considering proposed developments planned in the region and regional transport infrastructure among other factors.
"There will be an economic theme in each area (growth centre), for example, IT, tourism, logistics, education… or even an entertainment zone," explained Khatua, adding that this would help "the city develop around that nucleus of activity".
"The plan will take into account connectivity, transport, heritage structures… so that this is inclusive and sustainable development," he said, adding that attempts would be made to harness the latest technology.
Khatua also said they were looking at "creating mixed use townships where commercial and residential activities and economic activities co-exist in appropriate proportion". "So, people will try and live in self-contained communities," he said, adding that this would reduce cross movement and control demand for transport infrastructure.
This will prevent an adverse environmental impact and go easy on the pockets of users, who won't have to travel long distances, and help public finances due to low investments needed.
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