This chapter is contributed by Shri K. K. Chaudhari, M.A., Executive Editor and Secretary, Gazetteers Department

chapter extract

BOMBAY METROPOLITAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, 1970-91

The momentous and uninterrupted growth of Greater Bombay made it necessary to plan the development of the Metropolitan region by sketching on a sufficiently large regional canvas. The accumulated problems of the city including the deficits in social and economic infrastructure made it imperative on the part of the authorities to find out locations for providing these facilities. The geography of the island imposes severe limitations on the optimum growth of the city. The uninterrupted growth of the city and the multiplying population are by themselves a major problem. As said by the planning authorities, "Bombay the beautiful is no more beautiful. Many parts of it are not even tolerably clean and healthy. Housing deficits are everwidening and slums, like a cancerous growth, can be seen anywhere and everywhere. Adequate water is a serious problem; transportation is threatening to break down and serious law and order situations develop on the slightest provocation.... In short, the metropolis is slowly falling to pieces and concerted action is necessary to salvage the situation. No doubt, it offers job opportunities to many and a bright future to a dashing entrepreneur. Similarly its contribution to the national income is significant and it is also the biggest centre of specialised services and expertise. But the deterioration in the physical environments in the city has been so great that it seriously jeopardises the healthy growth of these metropolitan functions and in turn threatens the very existence of the city." (Bombay   Metropolitan  Regional Planning Board,  Regional Plan for Bombay Metropolitan Region (1970-91), Vol. I.)

Need for a Regional Plan : The Bombay Municipal Corporation had prepared a Development Plan for Greater Bombay in 1964 which received Government sanction in February 1967. This plan was confined mainly to the problems of Greater Bombay. Concurrently the Government was thinking that a plan continued to the civic limits of Bombay might not be adequate as a full solution to the complex pioblems of the city. The Government therefore appointed a committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. D. R. Gadgil, a renowned economist and the then Director of Gokhale Institute of Economics and Politics, in March 1965 to formulate broad principles of regional planning for Bombay and Pune metropolitan regions. As a sequel to the Development Plan prepared by the Bombay Municipal Corporation, the Government notified the Borpbay Metropolitan Region, in June 1967, and delimited the area in the region. The Government also appointed a Regional Planning Board in July 1967 for preparing a Regional Plan for the Bombay Metropolitan Region. The enactment of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act of 1966 which aimed at enabling the Government in the preparation and implementation of regional plans on a statutory basis was brought into force from January 1967. In accordance with the provisions of this Act, the Regional Planning Board had been constructed as a multidisciplinary team representing various experts and interests.

The pressing problems of Bombay and certain areas round about received further attention of the Government and the necessity was increasingly felt for forming these areas into a Bombay Metropolitan Region and for setting up an authority for the purpose of planning rapid development of these areas, in which several local authorities were separately dealing with such matters within their jurisdiction. Accordingly the Bombay Metropolitan Region Development Authority was established under the Bombay Metropolitan Region Development Authority Act of 1974,(The Bombay Metropolitan Region Development Authority Act, 1974, was enforced from

October 1975.) for the purpose of planning, co-ordinating and supervising the proper, orderly and rapid development of the areas in that Region and of executing plans, projects and schemes for such development, and to provide for matters connected therewith.

The main object of the Authority (to be called B.M.R.D.A. hereafter) is to secure the development of the Bombay Metropolitan Region according to the Regional Plan. It is charged with the function of review of any physical, financial and economical plan or any scheme of development in the Region. It formulates and sanctions schemes for the development of the Region, and executes them on the directions of the State Government. It advises the Government on matters pertaining to the development of the Region and can participate in inter-regional development projects. The B.M.R.D.A. has not only to supervise the development projects but it also may finance any schemes. It has to prepare schemes and advise the concerned authorities in formulating and undertaking schemes for development of agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, forestry, dairy development, poultry farming, cattle breeding, fisheries, etc. It is also required to prepare schemes for rehabilitation of persons displaced by certain projects, and to perform other incidental functions by virtue of its being a superior authority for regional planning.

The Bombay Metropolitan region includes Greater Bombay and parts of Thane and Kulaba (Raigad) districts. Originally stretches from the Arabian sea on the West to the eastern limits of Kalyan and Bhivandi talukas and foothills of the Sahyadri in Karjat taluka and the Tansa river in the North to the Patalganga river in the South were proposed. The Metropolitan region was, however, extended subsequently to include besides Greater Bombay, the areas in Thane, Vasai, Bhivandi, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Karjat, Khalapur, Panvel, Uran, Pen and Alibag talukas.

The very core of the Regional Plan is that the problems of Greater Bombay cannot be solved by planning only the development of the city itself, but that the proper solution can be sought by shifting some activity and by developing growth centres outside the city.

However the present study is confined to the planning and development of Greater Bombay only. While it might be necessary to study the problems and remedial measures of the peripheral areas around the city, the present study is limited to the analysis of the problems and the prospects of economic development of Greater Bombay. Even the suggestions by the Bombay Metropolitan Regional Development Board are taken here for purposes of analysis in so far as they refer to Greater Bombay.

PLAN PROPOSALS

I. Demographic and Employment Projections : The trend of growth of population indicates that Bombay which had a population of 0.81 million in the beginning of this century is likely to have a population of over 15 millions by the turn of this century. The actual growth of population from 1901 to 1981 and the projection for 1991 and 2001 are given in the following table :—

Growth and Population Projections for Greater Bombay, 1901 to 2001

Year Population (Millions)

Anuual Growth rate (%)

1901 0.81  

1911 1.02 2.591921 1.24 2.161931 1.27 0.241941 1.69 3.311951 2.97 7.571961 4.15 3.971971 5.97 4.391981 8.24 3.741991 11.41 3.172001 15.19 3.08

The demographic projections for 1971, 1976 and 1981 made earlier by the BMRPB (Bombay Metropolitan Regional Planning Board.)as also by other bodies such as the Gadgil Committee, the Demographic Training and Research Centre, Chembur, the Regional Transport Survey Unit and Messrs. Binnie and Partners, based on different assumptions, proved to be gross imderestimates. The speedy growth of population out-witted all projections. This highly unpredictable and perplexing growth has rendered the job of planners all the more difficult. Perspective planning of the region would therefore have to be elastic so far as population size are concerned.

The labour participation rate (Percentage of the potential working force to the total population.) which reveals the economic characteristics of population was 42.56 per cent in 1961. The study group of the BMRDA has projected the labour participation rate in 1991 at 64.32 per cent for males, 9.24 per cent for females and 41.26 per cent for the total population of Bombay. These projections are also based on certain assumptions which are not undoubtable.

Projection of Factory Employment : The Bombay metropolitan region accounts for about 70 per cent of the total factory employment of Maharashtra. The trend in factory employment in the past and projections for the future are given below:—

FACTORY EMPLOYMENT

(Figures in thousands)

  Actuals Estimated

  1931 19511961

1965 1966 1981 1991

1. Greater Bombay 178 384 505 572 553 962 1,0602. Rest of Bombay Metropolitan Region 1.5 11 35 67 71 238 340Total 179.5 395 540 639 624 1,200 1,400

The trend in factory employment given above conspicuously shows that while factory employment rose considerably from 1931 to 1966, the rate of increase was much higher in the rest of the Bombay metropolitan region. Industrial expansion in the Thane-Belapur-Kalwa-Kalyan belt after the sixties is an important factor to be reckoned with. Bombay with all its problems due to concentration of industries is now approaching a stage of saturation. The future

growth of industries will therefore have to be diverted to the outskirts. The higher rate of industrialisation and of increase in factory employment in the rest of the metropolitan region than that in Bombay in the future is therefore inevitable.

Projection of Secondary Sector and Tertiary Sector Employment: Since factories constitute only a part of the secondary sector employment, the probable size of the latter can be worked out approximately on the basis of the labour force and the like share of the secondary sector in the occupational pattern.The percentage of the secondary sector employment to total employment was 40.82 in Greater Bombay in 1961. The estimated employment in secondary sector would be 13,94,000 in 1981 and 18,30,000 in 1991 in the metropolitan region.

The rate of growth of tertiary sector employment in Greater Bombay Was 4.4 per cent per year between 1960 and 1965 which increased to about 4.7 per cent per annum between 1966 and 1968. The employment in tertiary sector in Bombay, assuming the continuance of the existing trends of development, would be of the order of 19,18,506.

Change in Occupational pattern of Bombay as a result of Planning : The total labour force in Bombay would increase to 40,46,534 in 1991 on the assumption that the population would increase to 98.07 lakhs and that the existing trends of development are allowed to continue. The employment in secondary sector would be 16,18,400 at the rate of 40 per cent of the labour force. Employment in construction activities which was 2.66 per cent in 1961 may increase to 3 per cent in 1991 and the total employment in construction activity may be to the tune of 1,21,380. The primary sector employment (Employment in agriculture, forestry, fishing, rearing of animals and allied activities.) which was about 1.89 per cent in 1961 may decline to about 1 per cent (bringing the total to 40,460) in 1991 because of the progressively larger accent on non-agricultural occupations within the metropolis and gradual reduction in salt pan areas. The remaining 56 per cent of the total labour force would have to be absorbed in the tertiary sector activities inclusive of transport, trade, commerce, offices as well as domestic services, etc. The size of this employment would be 22,62,760 as against 19,18,506 projected on the basis of previous trends. This means that jobs in the tertiary sector would have to grow at a faster rate.

II. Alternative Patterns for the Future Regional Structure: After considering the pros and cons the authors of the plan thought that the future pattern of the regional urban development would have to be a combination of the measures as under:—

"(i) Immediate internal restructuring (of the metropolis) by the development of alternative commercial centres outside the island city coupled with neighbourhood planning for the suburbs;

(ii) New towns around the existing and projected industrial areas, in the region which have been planned as dispersed work centres. Without township facilities around these centres, the existing and the projected dispersal of industrial areas will not only be ineffective but would have bad effects;

(iii) Orderly development of the Bombay-Poona Linear corridor which has more or less been a fait accompli due to the existing establishment of industrial area in a linear fashion in this corridor. The object here should be to regulate and integrate development; and

(iv) A twin metropolis in the Trans-Thane creek and Trans-Harbour area. The immediate emphasis should be on the twin metropolis."(Bombay  Metropolitan   Regional  Planning Board,   Regional Plan for Bombay Metropolitan Region, 1970-91, Vol. II, pp. 32-33. )

Distribution of Population : The most important question in this respect is about the optimum population size of Bombay. Various committees suggested different sizes of population for the city. The Modak-Mayer Plan of 1948 had suggested ceiling of 31 lakh population for Greater Bombay. The Gadgil Committee, in 1966 suggested a ceiling of 55 lakhs for the whole of Salsette island, while the Development Plan of Greater   Bombay   (1967) was worked out on the  basis  of a population of 70 lakhs by 1981. The Planning Board's Social Planning Study Group has recommended that over a period of 25 to 30 years the island city should be decongested by about 15 to 17 lakhs, and that a population ceiling for Greater Bombay would be around 65 lakhs.

The population ceilings suggested by the Modak-Mayer Plan or the Gadgil Committee however appear quite impossible to implement at this stage though it may be desirable. The Metropolitan Region Plan therefore proposed a optimum of 70 lakh population to be achieved by 1991. (Ibid., pp. 34-35.)

The Plan has suggested physical planning at various locations in the region, as also the orderly development of a Metro Centre in Trans-Thane creek and Trans-Harbour area. The Metro Centre lies on both sides of the Panvel creek, the northern portion between the Thane creek and the Parsik hills, commonly known as Trans-Thane creek area, and the rest of the area is Trans-Harbour area comprising Panvel, Uran and Nhava-Sheva. Planned Development of the Kalyan complex, Kolshet-Balkum complex and a number of other townships has also been suggested for reducing the pressure of population and economic activity in Bombay.

III. Industrial Location Policy : The heavy concentration of industries in Bombay is a well-known fact and has been discussed elsewhere in this chapter. The growth of industries in the Thane-Belapur-Kolshet-Kalyan belt after the sixties can mainly be attributed to the lack of availability of space in Bombay and to other incidental problems. This growth cannot be regarded decentralization or dispersal of industries in the real sense. In fact this industrial belt is a part of the same enlarged agglomeration which becomes obvious from the continuity of the urban mass, complex cross commutation between all the new centres and Bombay, location of the registered offices of the factories in Bombay, common sources of water, etc. The expansion in these areas is therefore more of a peripheral outgrowth of special expansion than dispersal. At the most this can be regarded as the first step towards decentralisation of industries in Bombay.

It would therefore be necessary to adopt a realistic land use zoning policy for the metropolitan region. The regional plan visualises to work out the requirements of industrial area on the basis of an average density of 75 workers per hectare, in the region, and 125 workers per hectare in Bombay. On the basis of an estimate of 14 lakhs of workers to be provided in organised industries by 1991 in the region, the total area required for industrial zone would be nearly 14,000 hectares for the whole region. Since this is worked on a fairly long term basis, the addition of any further area for expansion at this stage may not be necessary. Allowing industries to buy their land requirements for period beyond 1991 and allowing them to keep such lands idle for long periods would not be desirable. If further areas are required these should only be zoned out in 1981 or when the plan becomes due for its first revision. Total gross

area of the industrial zones sanctioned in the region including the Taloja industrial area is over 12,950 hectares.

It may be necessary to have a major industrial zone in the Trans-Harbour area for port-based industries and for the proposed metro centre around Nhava-Sheva, so as to provide a good industrial employment to the population. An industrial area of about 1,500 hectares seems to be indicated at this location. Deliberate attempts would be necessary to infuse industries along the Bombay-Agra road (in Bhiwandi Taluka) and in the Vasai taluka to achieve a balanced development within the region. An area of 200 hectares each at both these locations has been suggested in the first instance. The industrial area in Vasai taluka may be located between the Ahmedabad road and the Western Railway within easy walking distance from the stations. An area of about 100 hectares for the development of ancillary industries around Hindustan Organic Chemicals at Apte may also be necessary. With these additions the total area of industrial zones in the region would be around 14,950 hectares. Incidentally, a curtailment of about 800 hectares in the industrial area in Greater Bombay is possible. It is also suggested in the Regional Plan that, " Beyond the above, no further additions to the industrial zones should be made as it would amount to excess zoning for industries which will not be required under any conditions."

After the Bombay Metropolitan Regional Plan came into effect, the Maharashtra Government announced a new policy in January 1975, for location of industries in the Bombay Metropolitan Region. The objective of the new policy is dispersal of industries and to improve the quality of civic life in the region. The salient features of the new policy are given below :

The Metropolitan Region is divided into four zones as follows:— Zone I : Bombay Island excluding Wadala-Anik industrial aiea. Zone II : Wadala-Anik area, all suburbs of Greater Bombay, Thane and Mira. Zone III: New Bombay area. Zone IV: Remaining area in the Metropolitan region.

It is stipulated that establishment of any new industries large, medium or small scale, or expansion of existing industries would not be allowed in Zone I. An exception could be made only in the case of essential service industries. Zone II is also closed for new large or medium-scale units, while marginal expansion of the existing textile mills, subject to approval of.a High Power Committee, would be permitted. Small-scale industries having an investment in plant and machinery not exceeding Rs. 7.5 lakhs would be allowed in the approved and earmarked industrial areas and industrial estates in Zone II under certain conditions. Expansion of such units in the future would not be allowed. However, factories approved by the Government of India which might be set up in the Electronics Export Processing Zone at Marol may be permitted in view of their importance as export-oriented industries.

New large, medium and small-scale units would be allowed only in the industrial areas at Trans-Thane creek and Taloja which are being developed by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in Zone III, and also in the Industrial aiea to be developed near Nhava-Sheva. A preference would be given to export-oriented and import-substitution industries. The rest of Zone III would be earmarked for residential purposes.

As regards Zone IV, new large and medium industries would be permitted in Zone IV only in the existing and proposed industrial areas of the M.I.D.C. at Kalyan, Bhivandi, Dombivli, Kalwa, Ambarnath, Apte-Turade, and Vasai. Small-scale factories would also be allowed in areas

earmarked for industrial use by the concerned local authorities in conformity with the Regional Plan.

With a view to giving further impetus to dispersal of industries away from the congested Bombay Metropolitan Region, Government has withdrawn certain incentives which were formerly available to certain areas in the region under the package scheme. It is envisaged that areas earmarked for industrial use in Greater Bombay would be reduced by at least 400 hectares. Any land available from shifting of industries would be utilised for housing for public welfare. Government is also considering the question of imposition of a levy on the existing and new industries in the region so as to mobilise finances for incentives to factories to shift from Zones I and II to Zones III and IV and to other areas in Maharashtra.

IV. Transport and Communications : The uninterrupted economic growth of Bombay and the surrounding areas has put a heavy strain on the arteries of transport from and within the city. The physicalf eatures of the countryside also impose a severe limitation on passenger and goods transport from and to the metropolis. A number of schemes in this respect have been taken up while many others are proposed.

Wilbur Smith and Associates, an American firm of traffic consultants, conducted a study on future transportation needs of Greater Bombay, in 1962-63. They recommended a phased programme for the development of a system of free-ways, express-ways and improved arterial streets, then estimated to cost Rs. 96 crores. Intensive operational improvements to the existing roads have also been suggested for removal of deficiencies. They emphasised the need for restrictions on parking and slow moving traffic and for construction of pedestrian safety fences. Several measures have also been suggested for maximum utilisation of the capacity of existing roadways. The Wilbur Smith Plan proposed that the Bombay Island be encircled by free-ways and bifurcated by an expressway so that all points of the island would be within one mile of a free-ways or an expressway. In all 28 miles of free-ways, 14 miles of express-ways and 75 miles of major route improvements were recommended in the plan to be completed.

Subsequent to the submission of the Wilbur Smith Plan in 1963 a number of changes took place. These changes included considerations of a land use plan for Bombay, establishment of the Bombay Metropolitan Regional Development Authority, formulation of a Mass Rapid Transit System, etc. It was therefore necessary to have reappraisal of the Bombay Road. (Draft Annual Plan for Greater Bombay, 1978-79, District Planning and Development Council.)

Development Plan and to integrate it with the plan for Mass Rapid Transit System proposed by the Railway authorities. In the meanwhile, preparation of projects as recommended by Wilbur Smith and Associates is going ahead particularly in respect of Link roads connecting the Western suburbs with the Eastern suburbs. (Draft Annual Plan for Greater Bombay, 1978-79, District Planning and Development Council.) Their recommendations are detailed below:

Free-way System : (i) The West Island Free-way will connect the south poition of the central business district with northern suburbs, along the west side of Bombay Island. It will pass through Malabar Hill for a total length of 10.32 miles and will cost about Rs. 24 crores.

(ii) The East Island Free-way will afford easy transport between Byculla and the northern suburbs. It will be 8.91 miles and will cost Rs. 33 crores.

(iii) The Cross Island Free-way will connect the west and east island free-ways. With a length of about 4,200 feet, it will cost Rs. 4.9 crores.

(iv) The Eastern and Western Express-ways are proposed to be upgraded to free-way standard.

Express-way System : (i) The Central Island Express-way is proposed to extend fiom the north of Opera House area upto the Eastern Expressway passing through Haji Ali and Dadar and crossing the east island free-ways.

(ii) The Tardeo Express-way, 0.68 miles long, is proposed to connect the West Island Free-way with the Central Island Express-way.

They also proposed the improvement of 25 major roads which are estimated to cost about Rs. 18 crores.

In partial modification of the Wilbur Smith Plan the Bombay Metropolitan Regional Plan suggested that (1) The Bandra-Kurla reclamation may be taken up on a priority basis for creating an alternative commercial centre; (2) The commercial zone in Backbay Reclamation should be restricted to 20 per cent of the scheme area; and (3) a metrocentre may be developed in Uran-Nhava-Belapur belt which together would considerably reduce the pressure on Bombay island.

The construction of the Eastern Express highway, the Western Express highway and the Thane creek bridge are important landmarks in the economic life of Bombay. The express highways have eased the problem of traffic congestion on the Bombay-Agra road and the Ghodbunder road both of which suffer from bottlenecks at se\eral places and traverse the industrial and residential localities in the suburbs for long distances. They have also facilitated through traffic to the hinterland and the up-country. The Thane creek bridge on the Sion-Panvel read is one of the most important measures for solving the transport problems of the metropolitan region. It has not only reduced the travelling distance from and to Bombay, but also has ensured very speedy and safe motoring.

Another most important proposal for communication between Bombay and its wide hinterland is the provision of a new railway ghat to cross the Sahyadri ranges so as to link Bombay with the Daund-Manmad railway route via Kalyan. The two existing ghat routes of the Central Railway have to climb the plateau over steep ruling gradients which limits the load and speedy movement of trains. This has restricted the line capacity of the two trunk routes. The Central Railway is striving to increase the line capacity by pressing into service heavier electric locomotives which carry heavier load by over 30 per cent at better speed. This increase in capacity has also been absorbed by uninterrupted growth in traffic. It has therefore been suggested by the Planning authorities that the only way of breaking the bottleneck of inter-city goods and passenger transport for the region is the construction of a ' third ' ghat route connecting Kalyan to a convenient location on the Daund-Manmad section between Ahmadnagar and Rahuri. The initial estimate for its construction was put at Rs. 40 to 50 crores.

The study team of the Railways, however, recommended the construction of the one additional line each in the North-East and South-East Ghat sections, of the Central Railway. The estimated cost of the additional line on the North-East Ghat is Rs. 17.50 crores and that on the South East Ghat is Rs. 21.75 crores. (Information from Central Railway (October 1977).)The work on the construction of the additional line on the North-East Ghat (Thal Ghat) was

completed on 12th Aqril 1982, This line runs almost parallel to the existing line from Kasara to Igatpuri.

New Satellite Port at Nhava-Sheva : The transportation of merchandise to and from Bombay to the countryside has become very difficult as the present capacity of the Docks in Bombay is totally saturated. There appears therefore no alternative to set up a new satellite port at Nhava-Sheva on the mainland across the Bombay harbour. It will considerably divert a bulk of the cargo traffic with mainland destination directly into the mainland by-passing the congested routes in Bombay. The new port may initially handle bulk cargo and may be designed for its ultimate functioning as an independent port to handle all types of traffic.

Airport : Bombay is an international airport. However, the operational space available within the airport premises was insufficient to meet the needs of the growing domestic and international flights. It was therefore proposed by experts and the planning authorities that the present airport at Santacruz may be utilized for domestic air services, while a suitable site may be developed for an international airport. Alternative sites at Gorai-Manori and Mandva-Revas were under consideration. The former is within the Bombay Metropolitan Region while the latter is outside the region. Meanwhile the international airport was constructed at Sahar to the north of the Santacruz airport.

Railways : The Central Railway line in Bombay was constructed in 1853 while the Western Railway was opened section by section between November 1864 and January 1870. The quadrupling of the lines was done subsequently, but no major investments have been made in recent years. The Central Railway operates suburban trains upto Kasara 120 km. north-east of Victoria Terminus and upto Karjat 100 km. on the south-east line, besides the services on the Harbour branch upto Mankhurd and Bandra. The Central Railway runs 908 suburban trains daily and carries about 2.3 million passengers daily in 1983-84, Besides the suburban trains traffic which is unimaginably tremendous even by international standards, it runs a number of passenger trains as well as goods trains on its trunk routes to Howrah-via-Nagpur, Howrah-via-Allahabad, the Punjab area, Madras, etc. The Western Railway operates suburban trains from Churchgate to Virar, a distance of 56 km. and runs 745 trains and carries about 22 lakh passengers daily. It runs passenger and goods trains on the trunk railway route from Bombay to Jammu Tawi on the north, to Viramgaon in Gujarat and to various parts of Rajastan.

The capacities of both the railways in Bombay suburban section have been saturated, and there is not much scope for further increase in the utilization of the lines. The railways had estimated in. the seventies that it would be necessary to invest about Rs. 60 crores to increase the suburban surface transportation capacity by about 50 per cent. In the nature of things this would appear to be a gross underestimate as the prices have multiplied and   the extent of the problem has increased immensely. As things stand at present commuters have to travel in local trains under the most oppressive conditions and with frayed tempers. Travelling at peak hours is an ordeal which with a little bit of breakdown in services creates chaos, leading to economic loss to the community and also to law and order problems.

One of the major difficulties in increasing the frequency of suburban trains on the Central Railway is the bottleneck between Masjid Bunder and Victoria Terminus, where due to steep curves and several cross-overs speed has to be restricted. It is necessary to remodel the yard at Victoria Terminus so as to speed up trains. The straightening of the curves may require the space occupied by the platforms to be brought in the circulation area, and the platforms may have to be re-designed.

The Railway Board has constructed a new link between Central and Western Railway, to by-pass the mainland destined goods traffic from Diva to Vasai. With the completion of this new link in April 1983 the goods yard between Dadar and Parel has become redundant and the area is now available for other uses. It is suggested by some authorities that this area could be utilised for re-locating the mainline terminus of the Central Railway from V.T. If the main line terminus is thus shifted, remodelling of the yard at V.T. can easily be done.

Some experts in transportation planning have made another suggestion that the through trains terminus of the Central Railway at V.T. and of the Western Railway at Bombay Central may be shifted to the site between Sion-Dharavi and Bandra. They have also suggested that there should be a single terminus for through trains on both the railways at this new site. This will considerably reduce the pressure on the railway lines from Sion to V.T. and from Mahim to Bombay Central, and will release a lot of capacity for introduction of additional suburban trains. The railway yards at V.T. and Bombay Central will be available for restructuring so as to facilitate improvement in suburban trains operations. This measure will also facilitate the convenience of passengers who want to change over from Central to Western Railway and vice versa. The proposal is also plausible on account of another important factor that the land proposed for the site is comparatively free at present, and the cost of rehabilitation of the slum dwellers in the locality will not be large.

Some other authorities have suggested a third terminal for suburban railway at Ballard Estate. It is put forth that utility of the additional corridors of traffic as the possible augmentation of capacity along the existing railway corridors terminating at V.T. and Churchgate will be of a limited order. Hence it may be necessary to provide for a new passenger line in the eastern sector of the metropolitan area along with a third terminal to provide some relief. The terminal is proposed to be located in Ballard Estate near the Mole station. The existing railway lines from Wadala to Ballard Estate via the double line tracks of the Port Trust could be the possible alignment for such a railway line. It is also believed that this terminal would ease the heavy traffic congestion on roads in the vicinity of V.T.

Some persons have advocated that in lieu of a third terminal at Ballard Estate better results would be obtained by joining V.T. to Churchgate and simultaneously removing the bottlenecks between V. T. and Masjid. It is suggested that if both these are done more trains could be run on the Central Railway, and in fact there would be no terminal station as trains will pass through both Victoria Terminus and Churchgate. It is believed that the advantage of this proposal is that pedestrian congestion of commuters from both the railway termini on the roads near V.T. and Churchgate would be avoided to a great extent. This would also reduce the demand on bus and taxi traffic by the commuters alighting at the railway termini.

A separate study has been done by the Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways) (Information from Central Railway (October 1977).)for an additional corridor between Fort Market and Goregaon which is estimated to involve an investment of Rs. 154 crores. This is proposed to be an underground corridor with a terminal near Fort Market. It is also envisaged to provide an additional pair of railway lines between Bhandup and Kurla as an extension of the present Harbour Branch line.

The limitations of the Bombay V.T. yard deny a scope for handling of longer trains of more than 12 bogies. The Central Railway has therefore developed the Mazagaon yard as an auxiliary yard to deal with longer trains. The work of remodelling of the Mazagaon yard is being undertaken phase-wise. Some portion of the remodelling work is completed while some more

phases are being undertaken. The total estimated cost of remodelling the Mazagaon yard is Rs. 1.02 crores.(Information from Central Railway (October 1977).)

With an immense growth of industries in the Mulund-Thane areas it is felt essential to have a goods shed in the area. The railway authorities have therefore taken up the development of a goods terminal at Mulund, at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.41 crores. A part of the work in the first phase has been completed, and the goods shed is now open for inward traffic of certain commodities like iron and steel. (Information from Central Railway (October 1977).)

The other proposals in the Regional Plan which are not discussed above are outlined below.

Inter-Regional Transport Railways : There were two alternate proposals for providing a link between the Central Railway and the Western Railway, viz., (1) link between Diva and Vasai, and (ii) between Diva and Vangaon, further north beyond the regional boundary. Both the links would be equally good so far as the necessity of serving the growing industrial town of Bhiwandi is concerned. The Diva-Vangaon link was however conceived to yield a better advantage of opening out large under-developed areas in Palghar and Dahanu talukas. The cost of construction of the Diva-Vangaon link was definitely going to be much higher than the Diva-Vasai link, because of longer distance and engineering hazards. The Diva-Vangaon link also showed a relatively lower benefit-cost ratio than that shown by the Diva-Vasai alternative. The railway authorities after considering the various pros, and cons have opted for the Diva-Vasai link, and the work on the construction of the same is completed. It was estimated to cost about Rs. 24.3 crores.(Information from Central Railway (October 1977).) This link is highly advantageous from another point of view as it directly joins the Western Railway route with the Bombay-Konkan-Cochin railway line emanating from Diva which has already been undertaken and a part of which is already under operation.

A part of the Bombay-Konkan-Cochin railway line from Diva to Apta and Panvel to Uran is already under operation and is serving the needs of a part of the Bombay Metropolitan Regior. The work of construction of the section of the Konkan Railway from Apta to Roha has been started recently (April 1978). This railway route will further develop the environs of Bombay besides Konkan region.

The Regional Plan has also proposed the construction of a railway line from Kurla to Karjat which will shorten the distance from Bombay to Pune and will serve the needs of the metropolitan region. This line will meet the industrial and commuter traffic requirements of the Trans- Thane creek area as well.

Roads : The Bombay Metropolitan Regional Plan suggested a number of new roads, bridges and by-passes to meet the pressing needs of transport from and to Greater Bombay and the Metropolitan region. The important of the proposed projects include construction of new bridges across the Thane creek to the north of the newly constructed magnificent bridge near Washi, a new bridge across the Panvel creek in continuation of Thane-Belapur road and an additional bridge from Bombay to the mainland area to its east. Two alternatives in this respect have been suggested, viz., a bridge from Pir Pau to Elephanta and Nhava or a bridge or tunnel from Gateway of India to Uran.

The Regional Plan however accorded priority to the Panvel creek bridge because it coupled with the Thane creek bridge would shorten the distance from Bombay to the metro centre.

The Kasheli bridge on Bombay-Agra road and the bridge on the Bombay-Pune road near Thane which cater to the heavy traffic from Bombay to the rest of the country are due for immediate reconstruction. Diversion of major thorough-fares through Bhiwandi and Kalyan and the by-pass to Kalyan to provide a direct link from the Atale-Shahad and Ambarnath industrial areas to the existing Bombay-Pune road have also been suggested.

Mass Transportation : Mass transportation services in Bombay are provided by suburban trains and BEST buses. The suburban trains carried over 21 lakh passengers, while BEST buses about 20 lakh passengers daily in 1968. The acuteness of the traffic problem of Bombay can be judged from the fact that the number of passengers carried in BEST buses increased from 907.26 lakhs in 1972-73 to 991.95 lakhs in 1973-74, to 1016.74 lakhs in 1974-75, to 1084.95 lakhs in 1975-76 and to 1202.99 lakhs in 1976-77 and 13,367.82 lakhs in 1983-84. The number of buses in the BEST fleet was 1,402 in 1972-73, 1,478 in 1973-74,1,530 in 1974-75,1,639 in 1975-76,1667 in 1976-77 and 2,325 in 1983-84.(BEST Undertaking, Administration Report, 1976-77.)

According to a survey by the traffic cell of the Town Planning Department of the State Government in 1968, the number of persons, trips made by the residents of the surveyed area on an average week-day by using different modes of transport was 47,20,611 of which 38,11,815 or 79 per cent were made by modes of public transport (about 39 per cent each by suburban trains and BEST buses). It is estimated that with the present rate of population growth the number of transit trips by media of public transport would increase from 38,11,815 in 1968 to 60,82,273 in 1981. The passenger traffic on the suburban trains of the Central Railway increased by 163 per cent from 1950-51 to 1966-67 while that on the Western Railway increased by 154 per cent. The increase in the number of trains was however very meagre on the Central Railway viz., 31 per cent, and 117 per cent on the Western Railway during the period 1950-51 to 1966-67. The growth in traffic by buses from 1947-48 to 1967-68 was about 800 per cent while the bus fleet increased to a much smaller extent.

A survey of commuters was taken by counting the commuters at the gates of Victoria Terminus and Churchgate stations in July 1967. The survey revealed that during the morning peak hours as many as 84,000 commuters alighted at Bombay V.T. alone. It was also found that about the same number of commuters boarded the local trains in the evening peak hours at Bombay V.T. The mrmber of commuters alighting at Churchgate in the morning peak hours was about 83,000,while almost an equal number boarded the trains during the evening peak hours.

The statistics of commuter traffic on the stations of the Central Railway, given below, show the formidability of the transport problem of Bombay. The volume of commuter traffic shows a fast and continuously rising trend from 1970 to 1976. There was a significant increase of traffic at every railway station. Prima facie it appears that the rate of increase in commuter traffic was higher than that of population growth. The railway stations are given in the descending order of the volume of traffic in 1976.

STATEMENT No. 18COMPARATIVE FIGURES SHOWING DAILY AVERAGE NUMBER OF SUBURBAN

PASSENGER TRAFFIC HANDLED AT EACH STATION ON BOMBAY DIVISION.

Station  1970 1972 1974 19761. Bombay V.T. 4,46,730 5,25,24 5,98,363 6,91,726

62. Ghatkopar  1,56,984 1,76,61

82,01,162 2,09,597

3. Kurla 1,54,591 1,82,636

2,26,130 1,68,567

4. Byculla 1,26,571 1,43,221

1,49,537 1,05,088

5. Dadar  1,40,487 1,30,485

1,88,754 1,52,218 (Excluding cross traffic at DR—1,69,961.)

6. Mulund 85,708 99,880 1,05,259 1,09,7767. Bhandup 78,065 93,701 1,00,546 1,08,2298. Vikhroli 61,204 80,903 90,988 1,00,5969. Chembur 54,595 60,882 70,622 88,92910. Masjid 82,519 83,420 80,393 83,92711. Sion 30,154 58,007 64,497 79,46512. Wadala Road 50,519 58,953 73,926 77,02513. Parel 57,439 61,877 63,783 61,34014. Kanjur Marg 26,823 33,827 44,594 58,89615. Sandhurst Road 47,292 50,319 55,144 48,12116. Govandi 29,290 37,290 50,247 57,12117. Sewri 44,297 46,647 50,741 56,89518. Chinchpokli 38,703 38,366 41,808 47,12719. Matunga 41,682 42,387 36,340 47,00320. Bandra 27,181 40,148 51,101 46,777 (Excluding

cross traffic at MM/BA-1,21,236)

21. Cotton Green 46,504 38,050 44,006 54,75522. King's Circle 25,251 31,599 34,838 39,93523. CurreyRoad 33,797 32,583 36,074 38,01524. Tej Bahadur Nagar

26,489 26,598 30,985 37,592

25. Reay Road 28,306 34,402 36,039 36,47926. Mankhurd   18,891 23,886 29,112 29,11427. Dockyard Road 27,798 29,559 28,667 26,15428. Mahim 15,429 18,281 22,301 22,37629. Vidyavihar  21,300 22,820 21,850 21,97630. Chunabhatti 10,141 11,334 13,979 13,880

Note.—Figures include both outgoing and incoming traffic of season tickets and card tickets.Source—Information from Central Railway (October 1977).

In spite of the efforts of railway authorities, travel in suburban trains at peak hours is hazardous as the trains are heavily crowded. The authorities introduced nine coach trains, and also increased some trains from time to time. A number of new coaches have also been pressed into services. The Western Railway completed the important project of quadrupling the operational lines between Churchgate and Grant Road. This increased the operational capacity of the railway as more trains could be pressed into operation. All these measures provided a temporary relief. But the entire problem is so formidable that it may really be difficult to evolve ready solutions.

In order to meet the requirements of increasing suburban commuter traffic, the Central Railway is planning to increase the frequency of train services from the present 6" to 5" and ultimately to 3" in the peak periods on all the three corridors, viz., through lines, local main lines and harbour branch lines. The work on the first phase for introduction of 5" service has been sanctioned by the Railway Board, and some portion of the work was to be completed by 1978. This involved mainly respacing of signals, modifications in level crossings, elimination of certain level crossings, construction of a new maintenance car shed at Kalwa for E.M.U. (Electrical Multiple Unit) coaches and acquisition of more E.M.U. rakes.

As a measure of optimisation of suburban services certain proposals were also under consideration of the Railways. These proposals included, (a) remodelling of suburban platforms at Bombay V.T. for double discharge facilities, similar to Churchgate Station, and speedier outlet through the suburban concourse; and (b) doubling of the Chembur-Mankhurd single line section (4 kilometres) which will facilitate an increase in the number of trains on Chembur-Mankhurd section.(Work completed on 29th June 1980.)

The Regional Plan for Bombay Metropolitan Region has suggested various measures for augmentation of commuter travel facilities within the metropolitan area some of which are summarised below:—

(i) Reassessment of programme suggested by Wilbur Smith and Associates and carrying out that of the programme which is essential to relieve congestion.(ii) Quadruplication of railway tracks in Borivli-Virar section and sections beyond Kalyan on the Central Railway. (Quadruplication of Churchgate-Grant Road section has already been completed.)(iii) Introduction of twelve coach trains on the Central Railway and related improvements.(iv) Improvement in frequency of trains by various measures.(v) Provision of a third railway terminal at Ballard Estate or alternately joining Bombay V.T. and Churchgate by an underground railway.(vi) Shifting of Central Railway's through trains terminus from V.T. to a suitable site between Dadar and Parel.(vii) Feasibility studies for the underground railway and development of one additional traffic corridor for mass transportation to serve immediate needs.(viii) Augmentation of the bus transport capacity by adding higher capacity buses to the fleet and by increasing number of buses, depots and workshops.

Mr. J. B. D'Souza and Mr. C. D. Jefferis ( Bombay Civic Trust, Bombay Development and Master Plan, 1970.)made very valuable suggestions towards creation of a metropolitan transport authority for improvement in transport services. They wrote, " The situation and the prospect clearly demand an immediate and sustained effort towards optimising the use of all the transport resources available so as to meet the needs of citizens to the maximum. High on the

list of resources for conservation and careful use, higher, in fact, than vehicles and rolling stock, are good space and rail track length, both of which will probably turn out to be the scarcest of all scare resources in 15 years' time. For this, not only will we need to free our roads from want on encroachment by petty shop-keepers and hawkers, from misuse of by reckless drivers who use up more than their fair share of road space. We will also have to strive to minimise road use by the most careful planning of bus routes and schedules and train schedules, a close co-ordination between train and bus services so that they dovetail into one another instead of competing. Co-ordination and planning of this kind can hardly be achieved by a set of separate authorities such as we now have, even if one were able to bring them together periodically in meetings for this purpose. Nothing less than a permanent Metropolitan Transport Authority, with control over suburban trains, buses, trucks and other vehicles, with responsibility for operation of public transport (trains, buses, etc.) for road maintenance and use, traffic and vehicle taxation and with influence over land use planning, especially the location of housing industry etc. can possibly deal with a problem of such scarcity and therefore of such size."

Mr. J. B. D'Souza and Mr. Jefferis ( Bombay Civic Trust, Bombay Development and Master Plan, 1970.) further advocated for population planning and land use controls. They said, " the influx of the people has been phenomenal, and the speed with which many of the newcomers have established themselves higgledy-piggledy in hideous squatters' colonies wherever space could be found, has made nonsense of whatever city planning has been done." They also very aptly said that the limitless population growth that such cancerous developments make possible, as also the random location of such squatters' colonies, coupled with their very high population density, impose unforeseen burdens on thetransport system, and make transport planning impossible. Hence, the necessity of population planning.

" There is every reason to believe, however, that the development of a sister city on the mainland across the harbour will accomplish this. It is an objective that must be promoted with the utmost speed and vigour, if the headlong population growth we now see in the city is not to produce a total strangulation of the transport system, reduce the level of commercial aad other activities in the city and ultimately produce a blight."

"......................... We   should refrain from disastrous courses  like the reclamation of the Backbay area, and particularly the assignment of a large part of it to heavy traffic-generating commercial use."

" Such development would generate substantial volumes of new traffic as there is bound to be a very large addition to the total employment in the Fort area. It is expected that the development of the Backbay Reclamation area alone may create about one lakh new jobs. Most of these employees would be using the already overcrowded mass transportation services. Past experience shows that commercial areas generate far higher amount of traffic than any other urban land use. This will be particularly so when the proposed new commercial area on the Reclamation programme will be contiguous to the central business district of Bombay."

" The Backbay plans are an incredible essay in deliberate worsening of an already critical situation. They will involve an enormous outlay of the funds of Government and the community in the creation of problems for which enormously greater funds will be needed to solve."( Bombay Civic Trust, Bombay Development and Master Plan, 1970.)

Many other authorities and knowledgeable citizens have expressed similar opinions about the traffic problem of Bombay and the Backbay Reclamation scheme. The Bombay Municipal

Corporation has also requested the Government to abandon the scheme as it would put an unbearable strain on the civic services which are already inadequate to meet the existing demand. While many bodies and experts have stoutly advised to abandon the entire scheme, some others have suggested a number of modifications as regards the extent of land to be reclaimed and the pattern of utilization of the land. It is however not the objective of this study to probe into the desirability or otherwise of the scheme.

PLAN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

The Gadgil Committee in its report to Government (1966) emphasised the necessity of setting up an adequate authority for implementation of regional development proposals. It was proposed that the regionaldevelopment authority should supplement and not supersede existing authorities. The Gadgil Committee observed as under : " It is clear that the regional planning and development corporation cannot and is not intended to take over the developmental activity of the authorities in the region. Its principal function would be to work out a frame of general policy related to the needs of the region as a whole in which development plans of the local authorities are fitted in a co-ordinated manner. To give substance to its policy it will be necessary for the regional corporation to undertake a series of planned major works....."

While broadly accepting the Gadgil Committee's report, the organisational set-up envisaged under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act of 1966 was somewhat different. The Plan implementation authority was called New Town Development Authority with the object of laying out the development of a new town. The authority was authorised to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of lands and other property, to carry out building and other operations, to provide water, electricity, sewerage and other services, and generally to do anything necessary for the cause of the new town.

Subsequently Government constituted the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) for the implementation of the Metro Centre development programme. The object of this body is to create a New Bombay city to reduce the pressure on Greater Bombay by developing an attractive area on the land across the harbour. The planned New Bombay city, also called the Twin city in common parlance, is expected to absorb immigrants as well as some of the existing population of Bombay. While it will take a long time to develop the plan and a still longer time to implement it, some steps have been taken which may help to some extent. A big housing estate has been constructed at Vashi to provide accommodation for about 50,000 persons, with modern amenities. (Details of the development programme of the CIDCO which refer to the reduction in pressure on Bombay are given elsewhere in this chapter.)

After some experimental measures the State Government constituted the Bombay Metropolitan Region Development Authority for the purpose of planning, co-ordinating and supervising the proper, orderly and rapid development of Greater Bombay and the other areas within the defined region. The Metropolitan Authority also called BMRDA, is a corporate body with very wide powers and executive functions. It consists of many ministers of Maharashtra, the Mayor of Bombay, the presidents of Thane and Raigad Zilla Parishads, presidents of municipal councils in the area and many other officials and non-officials. The official machinery of the BMRDA is headed by a Metropolitan Commissioner. The  powers   and  functions   of  the BMRDA which are already mentioned earlier are quite onerous. The BMRDA is empowered to give directions with regard to the formulation and implementation of any development project or scheme, and it may also under-take any development work in accordance with the Regional Plan It is also endowed with financial powers including taxation, betterment, levies, etc. It excercises all its

powers and performs the duties under the Bombay Metropolitan Region Development Authority Act in accordance with the policy guidelines from the State Government.

BANDRA-KURLA COMPLEX

The high rate of population of Bombay as a result of the post-war industrialisation, urbanisation and the influx of displaced persons from Pakistan, made it imperative on the part of the authorities to appoint various committees and study groups. These committees and study groups suggested several measures to deal with the situation. The Modak Mayer Plan Report (1948) suggested stoppage of further activities in the Island and open up areas immediately to the north of the Island. It had made a specific reference to the development of lands in the Bandra-Kurla area. The Barve Study Report (1958) also had recommended establishment of another new centre of activity in the Bandra-Kurla area, somewhat on the lines of Connought Circle in New Delhi, to help decongestion of the Island. The Bombay Development Plan (1964) had also provided for the development of low lying areas in Bandra Kurla for a commercial complex.

The Gadgil Committee (1965) under Chairmanship of Prof. D. R. Gadgil, the noted economist, highlighted the need for overall regional planning, and recommended inter alia, the reduction of concentration of economic activity in Bombay, decentralisation of industries and urgent development of the main land in the environs of Bombay. Accordingly the Bombay Metropolitan Regional Planning Board was set up in 1967. A draft Regional Plan was prepared by this organisation in 1970, which recommended among many other measures, freezing of office and commercial employment in South Bombay, limitation of population of Bombay to seven millions, development of new growth centres like New Bombay, Kalyan complex, etc., to absorb most of the new growth in population and tertiary sector jobs. This Regional Plan was sanctioned by the Maharashtra Government in 1973, and as a follow-up measure the CIDCO took up planning and development of New Bombay as a counter-magnet to Bombay. The Government also set up the Bombay Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (BMRDA) in March 1975 as a planning, co-ordinating and development financing agency to achieve the objectives of the Plan. The Regional Plan (1970-91) also highlighted the need for certain amount of internal restructuring within the Greater Bombay area itself, particularly to bring about a redistribution of the population as between the city and the suburbs. The Plan focussed mainly on the importance of development of an alternative commercial complex in Bandra-Kurla area aimed at arresting the further growth of tertiary sector employment in South Bombay. This is the genesis of the Bandra-Kurla complex.

About 40 years ago, a large area of open land was available in the Bandra-Kurla complex. However, the unco-ordinated reclamations and encroachments on the periphery in the subsequent period gave rise to adverse environmental conditions besides the loss of area on account of encroachments. In order to avoid haphazard growth and to promote orderly development the Maharashtra Government appointed the BMRDA as a special planning authority for this complex in 1977.

The BMRDA has planned a strategy for the development of this complex on a priority basis. As this is one of the most prestigeous programmes of the BMRDA, it would be of great interest to give an account of the planning strategy for this complex. The strategy is based on the following considerations:—

(i) Restructuring of the city's pattern of future development by attracting a large number of offices, wholesale trade activity and godowns in order to decongest South Bombay and to relieve the pressure on the transportation system.(ii) Make up the deficiencies in social, cultural and shopping facilities in the surrounding areas by providing space for these.(iii) Improvement of the environmental conditions by channelizing the creeks and providing sufficient parks and gardens, besides ensuring orderly development in the commercial and residential areas in the complex itself.(iv) Redevelopment of the existing slums in the Dharavi area on the southern side by providing additional new land for serving as transit camp area which would be finally used for residential purposes. Any success in this regard is bound to improve the environment to a large extent.(v) Development of the area on the basis of a financially self-generating scheme in suitable phases.

This would involve formulation of a proper land use and transportation plan linking the various existing corridors of transport. A suitable balance between the residential and commercial use and exploitation of the aesthetic, architectural and environmental aspects of the situation has to be aimed at. The strategy about the Bandra-Kurla complex serving as a tool for restricting some of the activities in South Bombay would require pursuance of suitable policies like controlling further inflow of offices and other jobs in South Bombay. This would also involve co-ordinated efforts of all the concerned organizations. Simultaneously, urgent actions are also being taken for the development of other major growth centres like Kalyan complex, New Bombay and Mira-Bhayaader areas to ensure that the development of the Bandra-Kurla complex is not undertaken in isolation and that there are simultaneous efforts at decentralization and dispersal. The development of Bandra-Kurla complex is aimed at restructuring Greater Bombay on the principles of town planning.

With the development of the Bandra-Kurla complex as planned, bulk of the jobs would be decentralized by way of shifting the wholesale textile markets and the ancillary activities, like godowns, commission agents from B and C Wards of Bombay Island. This will greatly help in de-congesting that area. Suitable action is initiated on ensuring that the shift actually takes place and that this does not result into coming up of an additional market. Action is also initiated on utilizing the vacated premises for alternative purposes like retail shopping, public utilities, open spaces, schools, etc. Simultaneously, BMRDA has already restricted construction or creation of any new office premises or wholesale establishments in the Bombay Island. Incidentally, the wholesale markets in iron and steel and agricultural produce are also proposed to be shifted to New Bombay.

"It is expected that after completing the proposed channelization and the reclamation, not only the flooding situation but the environment in the area will also considerably improve. Salinity of the water will increase during dry season which will reduce the mosquito nuisance. The increased tidal influx will also enable relatively more dilution of whatever pollutants still find their way into the creek. The area would be turned into a sea water lake. The water in this basin caii be replenished by discharging into the sea at low tides and taking fresh water at high tides with the help of the gates periodically. This will enable the creek area, presently having offensive smell and a filthy appearance, to be kept always under sufficient depth of water abating most of the nuisance. This basin can then be flushed as often as required by a small dredger to stir the muck accumulation; the same can eventually be got rid off completely. The basin and its environ can then become places of recreation, for example, a large lake for boating, with a 15-m wide water-front wooded promenade.

" Thus, the work of channelization which enables further reclamation and development provides an engineering challenge as well as opportunity for internal restructuring of the city's development pattern and improving the environment and ecology of the area. The entire project is not only self-financing but will yield a substantial surplus by disposal of developed plots." (Mr. N. V. Merani, BMRDA, Bandra-Kurla Complex (pamphlet, 1980).)

NHAVA-SHEVA PROJECT

The Union Government has waved the greert signal to the Nhava-Sheva port project (1982). The idea of this port across the Bombay harbour was first mooted two decades ago. The cost estimate of the project has soared from Rs. 50 crores to nearly Rs. 600 crores, A total provision of barely Rs. 13 crores has been made in the Sixth Plan for this project. The project is of national importance, although the Maharashtra Government and the Bombay Port Trust have more than ordinary interest in it. The twin city project, which has yet to show signs of progress, will get a powerful fillip once the satellite port gets going. Indeed, a vast area surrounding the Nhava-Sheva site is readily available for the development of a wide range of port-based industries and trading activities, including a free trade zone. The State Government is addressing itself to the problem of exploiting this opportunity for reducing the pressure on Bombay. The project is designed to handle, among other things, the burgeoning container traffic as also bulk cargo traffic, which cannot be easily catered to by Bombay Port with its limited back-up space and other deficiencies, Experience has shown beyond doubt that Bombay Port cannot easily accommodate vessels requiring a draft in excess of about 28 feet. This is because in the wake of the intensive utilisation of berths dredging on a sustained basis has become difficult, if not impossible. With berth occupancy reaching a very high level of 90 per cent or so as against the desirable optimum of 65 to 75 per cent, it is not surprising that congestion has become a chronic problem and demurrage and the loss of shipdays have been haunting shippers and shipowners alike. It is good to note that the Government has envisaged the setting up of a committee of secretaries to the departments concerned to expedite decision-making and to monitor the progress of work on the project.

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DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR GREATER BOMBAY (BOMBAY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION PLAN)

Planning of the development of Bombay was sought to be done from time to time by the Municipal Corporation and the State Government. The earliest effort in this direction was initiated in 1888 under the Building Regulations in the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act of 1888. During the subsequent period many enactments were enforced for controlling the development of the city. Most of these measures were however in the direction of town planning, and they lacked in many respects. They were not enough for planning the development of a metropolitan city and the commercial capital of India. An outline of a Master Plan for Greater Bombay was prepared for the first time in 1948 by the Bombay Municipal Corporation. It had however no legal validity and it did not conform to the pattern of a detailed plan as envisaged by the Bombay Town Planning Act of 1954.

The Municipal Corporation therefore prepared a comprehensive Development Plan for a Greater Bombay in 1964 which was sanctioned by Government in 1967. As stated in the draft plan itself, it was prepared in accordance with "the general planning ideals and principles with

such modifications as may be necessary to prevent large scale dislocation, and undue hardships to people." The main objectives could be summarised as follows:—

(1) To protect the best character of the existing character of Bombay, to develop its structure and to remedy several defects.

(2)To encourage housing activities in the suburban areas with a view to reduce congestion in the city.

(3)Dispersal of population to the suburbs and decentralisation of industries and commerce from the city with the twin object of redeveloping the congested areas in the city as dso to ease the transport problem.

(4)Discouragement of expansion of commercial establishments in the southern tip of the island through zoning and floor space index control, and creation of other commercial centres in Greater Bombay.

(5) Increase in house building, provision of additional sites for schools, playgrounds, parks, hospitals, markets, recreational spaces and public utilities.

(6) Road widening, construction of new roads in suburbs and improvement of roads in city and suburbs.

(7) Reclamation of about 27 square miles of low lying areas for development.

(8) To ensure that all new development in Bombay conforms to the planned pattern.

The authors of the Development Plan appear to be aware of the fact that a comprehensive control on the development in Greater Bombay may lead to haphazard development on the periphery outside the city. This will have its undesirable effects on conditions in Bombay. The authors of the plan therefore pointed to the urgent need for the preparation of a Regional Plan for the planned development of Greater Bombay and the areas around it.

The Draft Development Plan was prepared by the Municipal Corporation and was finalised after giving due consideration to objections and suggestions from various quarters. The Development Plan, contemplated the * designation ' of about 2,718 acres of land in the city and about 12,485 acres in suburbs and extended suburbs for public purposes. The liability of the Corporation towards the total cost of land acquisition in the city would be about Rs. 43.57 crores and that in the suburbs about Rs. 74.73 crores. The Municipal share towards the total expenditure on capital works contemplated in the Development Plan, besides the cost of land acquisition would be Rs. 384.57 crores to be spent over a period of 20 years. In addition to this the authors of the Plan estimated that water works and drainage would ccst about Rs. 137.38 and Rs. 58.07 crores, respectively.

The Development Plan for Greater Bombay has thrown-tight on the problems of the development of this metropolitan city. The authors of the plan are quite aware of the stupendity of the problem of planning the development of this city. A total solution to all the problems lies much further ahead than can be envisaged in any one plan."The plan, therefore, produces only part solutions preventing recurrences of past mistakes, giving direction to its growth so that it conforms to current trends and avoiding wasteful results of haphazard development. But man's

needs change with the times bringing in their wake change in planning ideas. With the passage of time some inadequacies as well as drawbacks in the Development Plan might also be revealed. For all these reasons, periodical reviews of the plan would be necessary." (Bombay Municipal Corporation, Development Plan for Greater Bombay, 1964, p. xxii.)

The authors of the plan have analysed the problems of the various facts of development of the city. They have further proposed a rational industrial location policy based on certain principles of land use planning and industrial zoning. They opine that from the point of water supply, and other socio-economic considerations the population of Greater Bombay should be limited to 8 millions, and it should not be allowed to cross this limit.

The plan proposes a number of measures for improving the condition of transport and for relieving the city of the hazardous transport problems. The measures included the widening of roads in the city and suburbs, construction of new roads, establishment of truck termini at suitable points, and provision of multi-storeyed and additional parking places which will relieve the arteries of traffic. As regards railways, more and more land is proposed to be made available for construction of additional rail lines and yards. They also pointed out to the desirability of tube railways in the city.

Among many other proposals, the Development Plan proposed two new arterial roads along the fringes of the city on practical grounds and the desirability of keeping the through traffic away from the congested parts. The western promenade would connect Netaji Subhash Road with Mahim causeway along the western coast. The project would involve tunnelling through Malabar Hill and construction of a bridge from Worli to Bandra over the sea waters. This would prove a great boon to motorists and would minimise the travel distance by 6.5 km. On the eastern side, the artery of through traffic is proposed to be established by connecting P. D'Mello Road and Reay Road with Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road.

The Development Plan contains a number of proposals and recommendations pertaining to the development of public utilities, civic amenities, medical and public health facilities and educational facilities. It is an exercise in improving the socio-economic infrastructure of this metropolis of India.

However, like many other large cities of the world, the problems of Bombay are not only formidable but also intractable. No single plan can evolve a solution to the enormous problems. The course open to the concerned authorities lies therefore through the formulation of a series of well thought out pragmatic plans and their effective implementation at the various levels of administration.

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DISTRICT PLANNING

The State Government had prepared its own District Plan for Greater Bombay for the period 1974-79 which aimed at providing the essential civic amenities and healthy conditions of life in the city. Under the District Plan the State Government gave grants to the Bombay Municipal Corporation for certain development projects.

The Statement No. 19 gives the plan outlay under the District Plan of Greater Bombay, 1974-79.

The District Plan for Greater Bombay emphasised the necessity of improvement in the living conditions in Bombay by improving water supply and other social overheads. Keeping in view the enormous problems of this city which were particularly aggravated by the continuous influx of population, the plan had accorded priorities to water supply, sewerage, slum improvement, housing and link road which together accounted for 71.81 per cent of the total allotment of Rs.20,47 lakhs for 1978-79. Another important aspect of the Plan was the provision of relief to educated unemployed persons by providing seed money assistance to them, apprenticeship training and more employment opportunities to the weaker sections.

STATEMENT No. 19

OUTLAY UNDER DISTRICT PLAN OF GREATER BOMBAY(Annual Plan for Greater Bombay, 1978-79.)

(Rs. in lakhs)

Sector / Sub Sector

1974-75

Actuals

1975-76

Actuals

1976-77

Actuals

1977-78Outlay proposed for 1978-

79

Apporoved outlay

BudgetContinuin

g activites

New scheme

s

Total Cols. 7+8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Agriculture and Allied Services -

               

Fisheries 4.25 3.56 2.10 8.67 8.67 12.00   12.00

Co-operation 1.13 0.05 2.00 2.50 2.30 3.30   3.30

Industry and Mining

4.76 11.67 9.72 29.20 27.20 29.34   29.34

Transport and Communication-

               

Ports and Harbour

  1.72 1.12 1.15 1.15 4.20  

4.20 (Excludes Rs. 1 lakh on inevitable expansion provided in plan.)

Road Transport

23.93 68.73 58.78 67.01 83.59 63.06 10.00 73.06

Social and Community Services-

               

General Education

85.57 233.26 213.23 304.22 305.27 275.01 0.71 275.72

Technical Education

0.58 0.09 17.52 12.48 6.69 8.01 16.33 24.34

Medical and Public Health

1.50 9.27 33.36 64.12 64.12 75.43 8.33 83.76

Sewerage and Water Supply

105.51 154.58 488.45 850.00 350.00 900.00   900.00

Housing 119.10 469.62 442.29 246.98 393.04 102.93 150.00 252.93

Urban Development

20.96 85.52 34.79 268.53 40.50 264.33 24.00 288.33

Information and Publicty

0.06 0.33 0.75 0.45 0.45 0.20 0.22 0.42

Labour and Labour Welfare

  16.68 12.07 18.41 12.34 15.05 2.20 17.25

Welfare of Backward Classes

0.30 10.89 16.00 19.04 16.44 15.52   15.52

Social Welfare   0.07 3.00 7.55 19.86 17.83 3.00 20.83

Nutrition programme

    13.50 25.00 25.00 45.00   45.00

Total 367.151,066.04

1,348.68

1,925.311,356.62

1,831.21 214.79 2,046.00

Water supply is the single largest and most important item of development under the District Plan. The Bhatsa Project which is of prime importance for augmentation of water supply to the city envisages to supply 300 m.g.d. water to Bombay Metropolitan Region besides providing irrigation to 11,800 hectares of land in Shahapur and Bhivandi talukas, after completion. In its first stage it would supply 100 m.g.d. water to Bombay and 50 m.g.d. for irrigating 5,900 hectares of land. A power house of 15 MW installed capacity is also contemplated at the foot of the dam.

The Bhatsa Project is a joint project of the Maharashtra Government and the Bombay Municipal Corporation. The share of expenditure to be borne by the Municipal Corporation is being met from a loan from the International Development Authority (World Bank) under an agreement between the International Development Authority and the Government and the Bombay Municipal Corporation. The Corporation had committed itself to the World Bank to commission the Project in June 1978. It is therefore obligatory on the part of the Government of Maharashtra

to create storage at Bhatsa dam so as to supply water to the Municipal Corporation. The Annual Plan for 1978-79 therefore provided Rs. 400 lakhs for completion of the Bhatsa Head Works.

The other important schemes in the District Plan of Greater Bombay are construction of link roads, grants to Bombay Municipal Corporation for primary education, expansion of Government-aided private schools, development of higher secondary education (junior colleges), housing, environmental improvement in slum areas and urban development schemes.

The District Planning and Development Council for Bombay has accorded a high priority to slum improvement which poses a constant threat to the healthy growth of the city. The slum population in Bombay is estimated at 27 lakhs which includes the slum dwellers on lands owned by the Municipal Corporation, the State Government, the Government of India and private owners. Since the inception of the scheme about 13 lakh slum dwellers staying on State Government and Municipal Corporation lands in Bombay have benefited (up to 1977). The Annual Plan provided an amount of Rs. 150 lakhs for improvement of slum areas in 1978-79. This programme will be confined to slum dwellers on private lands in future.

In order to seek relief in transportation and road congestion it is proposed to implement the recommendations of the Wilbur Smith and Associates who have recommended a system of free-ways, express-ways and major street improvements to meet the demand for future trans-portation needs of Bombay. The island is proposed to be encircled by free-ways  and bifurcated by express-ways  so that all points of the island are within a mile of free-way or express-way.

Some of the recommendations of the Wilbur Smith Plan are being implemented and being included in the District Plan for Greater Bombay. The Fifth Plan of the District envisaged an outlay of Rs. 3.50 crores for link roads. It was advocated that link roads between Western and Eastern suburbs of Bombay would help in relieving the congestion in the suburbs and in developing the interiors of the suburbs. They would also help in reducing the travel distance from Western to Eastern suburbs and relieving the transit traffic at Dadar.

The Fifth Plan provision for the link roads was as under:—                                                                 

Name of link Road  Rs. in lakhs1. Santacruz-Chembur 50.002. Chembur-Mankhurd 75.003. Andheri-Ghatkopar 50.004. Jogeshwari-Vikhroli 50.005. Goregaon-Mulund 125.00Total 350.00

The Integrated Water Supply and Sewerage Scheme, is another very important scheme, though not from the economic point of view but from the point of view of the living conditions in the city. It has been undertaken with the assistance of the International Development Authority and is a time-bound scheme, the first phase of which is required to be completed soon.