Broad suggestions/objections to the Draft Development Plan 2014-2034.

First and foremost the authorities including the Government have taken the last 4-5 years to come up with the draft for the new DP and DCR. You cannot expect the lay citizens to come up with their objections suggestions to it, in the time frame provided. We request an extension of at least two more months, to submit the same.

1. Most of us feel that the DCR and the PLU must be demystified and be non contradictory. The broad vision/intent has to be better life/shelter/working conditions.

2. The concept of ‘TOD’ Transport Oriented Development is excellent provided that living space is truly reserved / meant for the low and middle income groups, who use and need the modes of public transport in Mumbai. Units here need to be smaller and affordable, but equipped with all decent facilities. Not towering slums.
A minimum dwelling units per acre type density needs to be prescribed for all TOD zones to ensure that the intention of creating high density & affordable housing are met in the TOD areas.
The inner most circle must be an area where no private vehicles (not just restrictions on parking norms) are allowed and then areas where only a certain number of private vehicles are allowed.
The high buildable FSI in TOD areas must have an equitable percentage set aside for infrastructure like schools, colleges, dispensaries, hospitals and recreation supporting the lives in this TOD. That is FSI must be related to services/infrastructure, priority must be given to infrastructure.
Buying of FSI at 75% of the Ready Reckoner rates is not feasible /realistic /affordable for the lower income groups so whom does this increase really help?
We need to make a working sheet and show how it is not affordable / exorbitant/ non-viable or feasible for development.
The DP must make reservations for designated drop-off spaces, bus stops, bus stations, rickshaw & taxi stands in the TOD zones. On-street parking should not be allowed in the TOD zones.
Provision must be made for transport hubs including space for inter city private buses, taxis and auto rickshaws, health and recreation and work spaces.

3. The status of most of the Old DP roads stands as deleted, as not developable, in spite of their extreme importance to viable transport routes, so how do you propose to implement the new proposed?
Where our Roads are sought to be widened, we are of the firm opinion that we do not want to part with our properties for widening, if that particular road has been marked for ‘Hawking’.

4. All Nallas, Creeks, Water Bodies and Nature Parks must have descending buildable buffer zones towards these areas – from buildable to nil around them.

5. Accessibility to Open Spaces must be graded correctly, to understand the areas really available to the Public School grounds, clubs, and gymkhanas are not accessible to all.
Must not remove any old DP Open Spaces Reservations, even if not acquired, though the report states and accepts that the situation of open spaces is abysmal, it is unfortunate that it doesn't speak of rectifying the mistakes.

6. Market reservations must include Hawkers’ needs especially non area specific hawkers like the ones on Linking and Hill roads, as also have space here for the assembly and dispersal of the non organized labour force that needs to congregate each morning to find jobs.

7. Zoning: We need complete residential zones not RC or CR everywhere, at least on smaller roads (less than 9 meters. The city already shows a mixed pattern of land uses.
We need ‘Only Pedestrians’ zones in commercial and high FSI areas, helping reduce vehicular congestion.
There must be some open areas marked for disaster evacuation, especially in the high density TOD area.

8. The area requirement for mandatory Rain Water Harvesting implementation has been changed from 300 sq mtrs to 2000 sq mtrs. This is unacceptable. The area requirement must stay at the previous 300 sq mtrs. Emphasis must be on implementation.

9. A percentage of the land to be redeveloped is to be handed over to the government. Besides, the planning for this pool of land is to be handed over to the local bodies. The citizens of the area in question need to be a part of this Local Body’.

10. We must include and plan for all our forts and local heritage structures and not only ASI ones.
Road line of Hill Road, Bandra, is still shown encroaching on our heritage structures – recognize these structures formally and devise buffers for them.

11. It is imperative to consolidate various agencies, who own / govern land / under jurisdiction to make a real difference to the DP, wherein the Railways must also be asked to participate. Areas left blank and marked as SPA have no meaning.

12. It is equally imperative to incorporate the new CRZ maps and zones and noting like present High Tide/Low Tide lines into the DP and DCR before finalizing them.

13. We thank the MCGM for incorporating almost all its suggestions regarding building regulations for providing proper access for all types of our disabled citizens in the new DCR.