State proposes walled city
to aid development
Greens Flay Move To Relax
Restrictions In Coastal Regulation Zones
Clara Lewis | TNN
Mumbai: The green brigade is
seeing red over the state government’s latest attempt to rejig
coastal regulations and free up more land for development. The
state has proposed to the Union Ministry of Environment and
Forests (MOEF) that retaining walls—those already built or tobe
built—become the demarcation line between land that can be used
for development and land that cannot be touched.
Some of the retaining walls, or sea walls, that already exist
include those along Marine Drive, the Gateway, Dadar chowpatty,
Worli seaface, Carter Road and portions of Versova gaothans. While
most of these walls run along or near the edge of the sea, acting
as wave breakers and preventing erosion, the Coastal Regulation
Zone (CRZ) rules restrict development for up to 500 metres on the
landward side of the hightide line.
Shyam Chainani, convenor of the NGO Bombay Environmental
Action Group, said the proposal to make retaining walls the
boundaries for permitted construction is preposterous. “The
existing retaining walls were built as a socalled safety measure.
They cannot replace the boundary line for CRZs. The intention is
clearly to increase the amount of Floor Space Index (FSI) that can
be granted to builders,’’ he said.
DRAWING THE LINE: The state
government is proposing to establish retaining walls along the
city’s coast to demarcate the areas on which construction is
allowed
CRZ rules, introduced in
the early ’90s, specify that CRZ-1 areas are those between the
low-tide and high-tide lines and ecologically sensitive areas
within 500 metres of the high-tide line. No development is allowed
there. CRZ-2 areas are those where substantial development had
already occurred before 1991. No new construction is allowed on
the seaward side of roads and reconstruction of existing
structures is permitted at 1.33 FSI. CRZ-3 areas are those that
are relatively undisturbed and only some permissions for resorts
or villages are given.
Supporting the state’s proposal to the Centre, which was made
sometime in June-July, principal secretary (urban development) T C
Benjamin said, “Almost 38% of Mumbai’s land comes under CRZII,
where further development is restricted. Of the remaining 62% of
land, 19% is part of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. While there
is a growing demand for land, there is no land available unless
the land that is locked is freed. There is a need for the CRZ to
be made more amenable to development.’’
Incidentally, some projects governed by CRZ-II rules are the
Dharavi Redevelopment Project, cluster redevelopment and the
Bandra-Kurla Complex projects. In all these cases, the state
announced an FSI of 4, though CRZII offers only 1.33 FSI in
Mumbai.
Chainani said the present infrastructure is incapable of
taking the additional FSI burden. “Every ecosystem has a capacity
and Mumbai has exhausted its capacity. The state must look
elsewhere for development,’’ he said.
Benjamin said the proposal for the wall was made keeping in
mind all aspects. “Retaining walls can come up in areas that are
no longer vulnerable, those that are already developed. Walls
would be established only after a detailed study of the coast, sea
tides, currents and so on,’’ he said. Walls, he added, would
ensure no further encroachment into the sea. “We are preparing a
master plan so that the coast is protected and issues such as
lateral displacement are addressed,’’ said Benjamin.
Critics also pointed out the drawbacks of retaining walls.
According to activist and architect P K Das, the wall protects the
point it stands on, but shifts the forces of coastal erosion to
adjoining areas. “When Nariman Point was developed, the adverse
effects were seen at Versova,’’ he said. Chainani said, “We have
seen this happen with reclamation. Besides, a wall cannot be built
along the beaches.’’
Das said Mumbai’s coast is not uniform. At places, it is sandy
beach, at other places it is rocky bed. “To date, no comprehensive
coastal study has been done. Coastal protection is a serious issue
and continuing erosion poses a serious threat to old settlements.
A developed city like Mumbai requires an integrated plan for its
entire coastline,’’ he said.
The state is optimistic that its proposal will be considered
by the Union ministry of environment and forests. Recently, Union
environment minister Jairam Ramesh, during a visit to the city,
said the Centre was considering a special status for Mumbai when
it amends the CRZ rules.
According to Benjamin, certain areas of Mumbai are also
vulnerable to tsunamis. In flood-prone areas as well as mangrove
areas, there would be no retaining walls, he said. Chainani,
however, pointed out that if a tsunami hit Mumbai, the entire
coast would be affected and not just parts.
The retaining wall, Das said, was capital intensive, prone to
constant repairs and not a lasting solution. Recent repairs to the
Marine Drive sea wall cost Rs 100 crore.
Since the construction of retaining walls would be expensive,
the state has suggested setting up a separate fund to construct
and maintain the walls. “The BMC could increase the development
charges by 1% to pay for the retaining walls,’’ Benjamin said.
COASTAL REGULATION ZONES CRZs include areas upto 500 metres on the
landward side of high-tide lines (HTL) and areas around creeks,
rivers and so on
CRZ-1: Ecologically sensitive areas (like national parks);
historical areas; heritage areas; flood-prone areas; areas between
low-tide and high-tide lines Restriction: No development
allowed
CRZ-2: Areas where there has been substantial development
before CRZ rules came into force Restriction: No building
on seaward side of roads or authorised buildings. FSI of 1.33.
Design should fit surroundings
CRZ-3: Areas that are relatively undisturbed
Restriction: No development upto 200 metres from HTL,
except for open spaces, salt-pans, agriculture, forestry. From 200
to 500 metres temporary resorts allowed; some construction for
fishing villages and gaothans allowed. Repairs to existing
structures allowed
LAND LOCKED
A large part of Mumbai falls in Coastal Regulation Zones
No construction is allowed on the seaward side of legal roads and
structures
FSI is frozen at 1.33 in relatively developed coastal areas
Cluster redevelopment and the Dharavi redevelopment projects fall
in 1.33 FSI zones
Nearly 134 slums are in CRZs Koliwadas are in CRZs