The municipal commissioner was speaking at a citizen's dialogue organised by the South Mumbai Resident's Association (SMRA). At the dialogue was also present, Shiv Sena MP, Milind Deora.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed an ambitious plan of constructing an array of underpasses underneath the Mahalaxmi Racecourse to interlink the upcoming open spaces in the coastal road and the Racecourse ground which is also set to be transformed into a Central Park. Furthermore, civic officials maintained that the underpasses will also be connected to the metro stations of Mumbai’s aqua line – which will provide direct connectivity for the pedestrians.
Of the 211 acres of the Racecourse, 120 acres have been taken over by the BMC. This space is being developed into a Central Park for citizens which will comprise a botanical garden, topiary garden and a city forest. Underneath the racecourse, the BMC intends to construct an indoor sports arena and a convention hall. Meanwhile, within a kilometer there is the Haji Ali interchange of the coastal road, where the BMC is set to create a plush green open space comprising a nature trail and a series of micro forests adding another 70 hectares of open space to the city. Civic officials said that the idea is to link these open spaces for citizens through a series of underpasses.
Furthermore, Bhushan Gagrani – Mumbai’s municipal commissioner has maintained that the civic body has already roped in Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) for carrying out a feasibility study for constructing the underpasses.
“There are two underground metro stations near the race course – Nehru Science Centre and the Acharya Atre Chowk. We will be constructing an underpass that will link these two stations with Mahalaxmi Racecourse’s basement, where we intend to construct a public sporting arena and a convention centre. From this place, citizens can climb up the staircases and reach the Mahalaxmi ground above,” Gagrani said.
The municipal commissioner was speaking at a citizen’s dialogue organised by the South Mumbai Resident’s Association (SMRA). At the dialogue was also present, Shiv Sena MP, Milind Deora.
“Furthermore there will be another underpass that will link the Mahalaxmi Racecourse with the upcoming garden and open space at Coastal Road’s Haji Ali intersection. A parking lot to accommodate 1,200 cars is also being constructed over there. We have roped in MMRCL to prepare the design for this project, since this agency has good experience of constructing an underground transport network for Mumbai,” he added.
The underpasses will form a semi-circular walkway around the periphery of the racecourse and civic officials maintained that currently a survey is being carried out to locate the underground utilities like water supply pipeline, gas supply line that passes from underneath the race course grounds. Civic officials also maintained that the underground facilities which the BMC proposes to construct will only cover 30 per cent of the total land size while the larger portion of the plot is set to have natural percolation.
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The civic officials maintained that after the feasibility study is being completed the construction work will be initiated.
“The present design is only a temporary blueprint of what we propose. Once the study is completed the design will be compared and then only decisions to construct the facility will be taken and it will take a minimum of two years to complete the project from the day of construction,” he added.
GRAPHIC
MAHALAXMI RACECOURSE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
Total area: 212.73 acres
Land retained by Royal Western Indian Turf Club
92.61 acres
Racing tracks and Royal Grandstand
Land to be developed by BMC
Public Park 77.6 acres
Topiary garden
Amphitheatre
Event space
Seasonal garden
Monsoon garden
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Botanical Garden 31.36 acres
Rainforest zone
Flowering tree section
Palm garden
City Forest 11.76 acres
Orchard
Miyawaki forest
Spice garden
UNDERPASS NETWORK
Within the racecourse 3 underpasses
Botanical Garden to Topiary Garden
Topiary Garden to City Forest
Internal connectivity corridor
Around the racecourse 2 underpasses
Semi circular underpass
Linking Acharya Atre Chowk Metro station and Nehru Centre Metro station to the Racecourse
Direct underpass
Connecting Racecourse ground to Haji Ali Coastal Road open space
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
