Our delivery record is bad

There is no capacity study conducted for Mumbai, says Janki Andharia

With comprehensive feasibility studies and sound scientific methods, reclamation could be an option for Mumbai. But we first need to decide who determines how much reclamation needs to be done; what is the optimum; where can it be carried out; and what is the quality of reclamation, and who will monitor it.

You cannot look only at ecological viability. What kind of growth are we talking about in the reclaimed region? What kind of structures are we going to put up? These issues need to be addressed in a more holistic and integrated manner. Reclamation needs to be part of a larger plan that looks at various dimensions: environmental, infrastructural and economic. There is virtually no study or analysis conducted to tell us the carrying capacity of the city. If we look at the density of the city, we are in serious trouble.

The challenges of urban planning can be gauged from the density of the city. Mumbai houses over 40,000 people per sq km. This is far greater than Seoul’s 16,391 and Hong Kong’s 6,254.

The average density of population in Mumbai is 20,000 to 30,000 people per sq km, and peaks at 45,000-50,000 people per sq km, which is unheard of anywhere else.  The density of the island city of Mumbai in 1990 was 15,000 per sq km. Some parts of central Mumbai on the other hand have a population density of one million people per sq mile. 

One can argue that by reclaiming land the prices will come down. I don’t think that’s going to work. The ability to deliver on promises is something we still have to demonstrate. Mumbai’s track record to actually implement a plan the way it was envisaged is pretty bad.

From the ecological point of view, the city has different areas, from salt pan lands to mangroves. You have to look at each area differently. You need to have a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). You cannot blindly reclaim land. I am sure we can plan better, and with the technology that we have, we can come  up with other options. The powerful economic forces at work pose a challenge and an opportunity. We need to demonstrate greater sensitivity towards environmental and social justice issues in urban planning for Mumbai.

Andharia is professor and chairperson at Jamsetji Tata Centre for Disaster Management, TISS. She spoke to R Krishna