Facelift to cities

The commercial capital of India is being redeveloped on a massive scale to ease the pressure on its infrastructure and arrest its decline.

IT is practically impossible to put an exact figure to Mumbai's population. Around 12 million is the official estimate. It is more like 18 million, believe socio-economic analysts. The fact is, the commercial capital of the country is burgeoning at an uncontrollable pace. This has put immense pressure on the city's resources. As such growth cannot be curbed, the city administration has taken some major decisions to improve the infrastructure and civic amenities in the megapolis. Eventually, the administration hopes not only to provide solutions to this massive expansion but also to fulfil its "Vision Mumbai goal" of making Mumbai a world-class city and a top business destination.

There is tremendous pressure on the city's infrastructure, according to officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), which if not tackled at the earliest, could lead to a decline in the economic growth and the quality of life. Mumbai contributes significantly to the coffers of the State and Central governments. The city pays 50 per cent of the country's direct and indirect taxes. The country cannot afford to let it crumble.

The Authority is responsible for the development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which comprises the mega city and the rapidly growing hinterland. The MMRDA says that for the balanced development of the region, it has "embarked on a multi-pronged development programme, which will provide a blueprint for the overall development of the region".

An MMRDA task force has identified three key areas: transport, housing and civic infrastructure.

To begin with, the Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) will be dealing with improvements in road networks and providing benefits to pedestrians and users of public transport. The emphasis is on an efficient traffic dispersal system, particularly on the arterial roadways such as the North-South road links and East-West connectivity. The MUIP master plan has identified overall improvement of a 462-km road network at an estimated cost of Rs.2,647 crores.

Sixteen flyover projects at important junctions on the Western and Eastern highways and Baba Saheb Ambedkar road have been taken up at a cost of Rs.370 crores. Work has already been awarded for six flyovers. A two-year deadline has been set for the completion of all the projects.

The much-talked-about Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), which has from time to time run into trouble with the World Bank, has had a few successes in the area of public transport. The objective of this project is to enhance the capacity, efficiency and financial viability of the urban transport system and promote institutional development and capacity building.

The key performance indicators, says the MMRDA, are improved rail travel comfort; pedestrian safety; enhanced rail frequency; reduced delays in road journey; establishment of East-West road connectivity; resettlement of project-affected people (PAPs); and improved technical capacity for planning, traffic management and road maintenance. The estimated cost of the project is Rs.4,526 crores, of which Rs.2,602 crores comes from the World Bank.

Marine Drive, popularly known as the Queen's Necklace, has finally got an image makeover. As part of the Marine Drive Refurbishment Project, the seaface promenade is under renovation.

Another big project, particularly important since the 2005 flooding, is the Rs.30-crore Mithi River Development Project. The Mithi originates from the Vihar lake in north Mumbai and meets the Arabian Sea at Mahim. Over the years, encroachments have almost turned it into a stream of sewage. Congested by garbage and other solid waste, the river overflowed during the torrential rains in July 2005, leading to major flooding in the surrounding areas.

The project has been divided into two phases. Phase One, which includes the desilting, widening and deepening of the river, is almost completed. Phase Two will involve putting up boundary walls, laying service roads and creating a green buffer zone and parks and gardens.

The Mithi project's action plan will also involve cancelling the licences of polluting industries and curbing the discharge of untreated industrial effluents into the river.

Speaking about Mumbai's infrastructure, State Chief Secretary D.K. Sankaran says: "BRIMSTOWAD [Birhan Mumbai Storm Water Drainage Project] has got approval for Rs.1,200 crores. Middle Vaitarna is on track and is pending final approval from the Cabinet. Additionally, the Mumbai Metro plans are forging ahead. The Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd sector will soon be tendered out."

While the MMRDA has undertaken a large chunk of the city's redevelopment projects, there are other agencies involved in Mumbai's clean-up. The State government has appointed a task force, which has private participants as well. Mumbai is no longer just the island city. Expanding into the mainland, there is now an entire new city called Navi Mumbai. This area was originally conceived to decongest Mumbai by creating space for commercial activities and residential buildings. The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO) is primarily responsible for providing the social and physical infrastructure in the new city. CIDCO has been so successful that the 1991 Census recorded a 10 per cent decrease in the population growth rate in Greater Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai was planned as a metro-sized modern urban settlement, with a series of 14 polycentric townships called nodes strung along a mass rapid transit corridor with a central business district at the heart.

It is projected that the area has the capacity to hold a population of four million and provide a million jobs. Additionally, CIDCO is developing Asia's largest Agriculture Produce and Market Complex in Navi Mumbai.

It has constructed 1,200 residential spaces called "intelligent housing", as fibre optic cables have been installed at the time of construction so that Internet and cable connection can be provided on tap.

The corporation has become a pioneer in town planning and development. Apart from Navi Mumbai, it has created new towns in Aurangabad, Waluj, Nashik and Nanded, and these have become urban hubs. The corporation is also involved in setting up a Mass Rapid Transit System along with the Indian Railways in Navi Mumbai. It constructed 15 railway stations on modern lines, which have become landmarks in Navi Mumbai and its surrounding areas. CIDCO is offering consultancy services to the Chhattisgarh government to develop a new Raipur, and create new townships in Chandigarh and Visakhaptanam.

The State government is planning to upgrade and make cities such as Pune, Aurangabad, Nasik and Nagpur investor-friendly.

Although less than 200 km from Mumbai, Pune, the second largest city in the State, has never developed at the same rate as Mumbai. Although it has a strong manufacturing, automobile and engineering presence, the city never found a place on the industry map.

That is, until the Information Technology boom happened. Thanks to its strong educational set-up and pleasant climate, the city began to match Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, but soon began to face the problem of poor infrastructure. Although investors may not be rushing to set up base here, the ongoing massive residential construction indicates that Pune is a sought-after place.

During the past year, several flyover projects were taken up in many parts of the city. With Pune planning to host the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008, there is a massive effort to ramp up the city.

Nagpur, the winter capital of Maharashtra, has evolved into an efficient and well managed city thanks to the foresight of a few bureaucrats. The eventual aim is to make it a central hub for industry by pushing its main advantage - its central location. The city has plenty of room for residential and commercial expansion. An SEZ that is to come up at Butibori is expected to attract knowledge-based, textile, fruit processing, paper, machinery and consumer durable industries.

Aurangabad is attempting to become more than a tourist attraction. Although auto manufacturer Bajaj Auto and electronics major Videocon set up shop there more than a decade ago, it is only recently that Czech automakers Skoda set up a plant near the city. Unemployment is a massive problem in Aurangabad. The government has proposed to set up a SEZ at Shendre near the city.

Nashik is now well known as the Napa Valley of India. Grape-growing and wine-making are bringing prosperity to this cantonment town. Efforts are on to enhance the development of the horticulture industry in this region.