Urban planner Shirish Patel, who designed India’s first flyover, dies at 92

He was passionate about conserving Mumbai’s heritage and upgrading the city’s infrastructure, besides being instrumental in the construction of Koyna Dam, one of the largest dams in Maharashtra.

Calling Shirish Patel’s death an irreparable loss, noted conservation architect Pankaj Joshi told The Indian Express that he first met Patel when they were part of the civic heritage committee.

“He worked tirelessly towards multiple issues affecting Mumbai’s heritage and infrastructure. We knew each other for more than 20 years and his passion towards providing an equitable housing model was unparalleled. He also highlighted the importance of open spaces and environment sustainability and considered these factors to be non-negotiable when it came to Mumbai’s infrastructure development,” Joshi said.

Throughout his life, Patel advocated the cause of equitable urban development in Mumbai. He opposed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plan to demolish and rebuild the Malabar Hill water reservoir. Last year, the civic authorities called off the move following a massive public outcry.

Shirish Patel was born in 1932 and spent his childhood in Karachi. He relocated to Mumbai after his father Bhailal Patel became the first Indian municipal commissioner of the city. Patel studied at Cambridge University and served as a chief planner with the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).

Patel was part of the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) and was a founding member of the Housing Development and Finance Corporation (HDFC). He also helped in the formation of the Indian Institute of Human Settlements.