BMC to rope in private parties to develop, maintain open spaces along coastal road

According to the BMC’s original blueprint, these spaces will comprise green covers, amphitheatres, gardens with walkways and cycle tracks. “The BMC invites EoI from reputed firms for long-term maintenance of landscaping and gardens as well as maintenance of the promenade for Mumbai Coastal Road, without any financial commitment of BMC,” the EoI document stated.

The coastal road was constructed by reclaiming 110 hectares of the sea. According to the BMC’s plan, 70 hectares will be utilised for creating fresh open spaces, while 40 hectares will be used for creating the roads.

While giving its nod to the BMC for creating the coastal road, court also mandated that commercial activities, including setting up hoardings, will not be allowed in the reclaimed portion of the land. “The BMC will not pay any money to the organisations who would take up the plots for development and maintenance. An MoU will be signed that would give the firms a timeline of 10-15 years during which they will maintain this space in entirety,” said a civic official.

“These firms may develop and maintain these spaces by using their CSR funds. In case they find ways to monetise by allowing exhibitions or performances in amphitheatres developed there, then they can keep the share with them. However, these parameters will be decided once the designs are in place,” the official added.

Civic officials said that after scrutinising the responses to the EoI, a tender will be floated based on which the selected organisation will be given the contract. Following this, the design will be conceptualised and the space will be developed.

Sources in the BMC also said that the reason why BMC is relying on private parties for developing and maintaining the open spaces is because of shortage of funds.

According to the civic body’s data, Rs 3,000 crore was spent in construction of the coastal road in the 2023-’24 financial year. In the ongoing financial year, the BMC has already spent Rs 1,775 crore or 61 per cent of the total allotted Rs 2,900 crore fund for coastal roads.

“Every year, the administration was allocating funds for coastal roads for only construction purposes. Now that the road is almost completed, the cost of maintenance also needed to be generated. Usually, in these kinds of roads there are toll taxes, but since the coastal road doesn’t have toll plazas, we may bank on private parties to maintain the open spaces,” an official said.