The main points of the promenade’s instructions are the prohibition of new, long-term construction to maintain the art deco façade, the prohibition of hoardings nearby, and the need that buildings be painted in pastel shades whenever they need to be renovated.
Guidelines for future development of the Marine Drive precinct have been established by the state urban development department (UDD) in Mumbai. The precinct encompasses Churchgate station in the west, the area around Mantralaya in the east, Girgaon Chowpatty on the southern end, the NCPA on the northern end, and the promenade across the Arabian Sea. Backbay, Madame Cama Road, and Shamaldas Gandhi Marg are notable neighborhoods in this region.
The directions for the promenade highlight the prohibition of new, long-term construction to protect the art deco façade, the prohibition of hoardings nearby, and the requirement that pastel colors be used if buildings need to be painted. The construction of the Marine Drive Plaza, a favorite beautifying project of chief minister Eknath Shinde, is likely to be delayed as a result.
I S Chahal, the municipal commissioner, was informed of this last month by Nirmal Chaudhari, the department’s deputy secretary. A special permit must be obtained, according to the instruction, for any reconstruction projects in the Marine Drive precinct, which includes wards A, C, and D. According to a senior UDD official, the instructions were released in some circumstances as a result of court rulings. “In a case brought by the Churchgate Nariman Point Citizens Association (CNPCA), the Supreme Court had stated that standards for building height be established,” he said. On the basis of that, the regulations were developed.
According to the notification sent to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the FSI in this area should not go over the permitted thresholds outlined in the Development Control and Promotional Regulations 2034. If a building’s owner or developer loses development rights as a result of the restrictions, they may be eligible for Transferable Development Rights (TDR), which can be applied to other projects.
To ensure consistency, new development on the promenade—along Netaji Subhash Chandra Road and the Princess Flyover—should adhere to the necessary height restriction upheld by the already-existing art deco structures. The rules stated that the requirement is essential to preserve the area’s consistency and beauty.
The government notification stated that sub-precincts within the precinct that are off the sea face have been marked, and that any development in this area will be “governed by a fundamental of line of vision to maintain the skyline and ensure that the rear side development does not become obtrusive from the waterfront/promenade side.”
For internal and beachside development, the department has established three sub-precincts, namely Backbay, Chowpatty, and Gymkhana. The letter stated that the height of the new buildings might be negotiated and that the regulations for development off the beachfront inside the precinct have yet to be determined. Vilas Nagalkar, an architect and member of PEATA, responded to the change by saying, “The guidelines put in the public domain reduce the discretionary powers substantially when dealing with permissions.”
In order to maintain continuity with the existing bulk, interior developments cannot include stilts or parking floors, while basements are permitted. The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee’s approval is required for all plots where a line of vision formula results in an increase in building height. According to the current DCPRs and within the allotted height, basements and parking floors will be permitted. BMC will make any necessary reduction in the number of parking places. Combining plots is not permitted under the new rules.
Source- Travel daily
