The missing links from Mumbai’s road map: Silent protest to stress the need to have missing links of development plan

In October 2023, a narrow lane passing through a slum was opened up to link Kandivali and Lokhandwala that usually takes approximately 40 minutes drive, with this lane it now takes just 6-8 minutes walk.Purnima Sah
| Photo Credit: Purnima Sah

Around 100 people in five different locations of Borivali, Kandivali and Andheri sat down on a silent protest marking the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi to stress the need to have missing links of development plan (DP) roads in the city. The silent protest was organised by Mumbai March, a people’s movement research based NGO working on environment, infrastructure and the concept of zero slums in Mumbai city.

Calling them ‘#LapataSadak’ (missing roads), Gopal Jhaveri, founder of Mumbai March said, “22 major lanes are missing from Mumbai for the past 50 years as per the Development Plan of Mumbai 1967, 1991 and 2014-2024. Since 1967 this development plan only remains in paper.”

The missing links in Kandivali East have caused the Thakur Complex connectivity and Kandivali Lokhandwala traffic issues. “The positive impact of construction of missing links will be a road from Food Corporation of India connecting Thakur Complex with Borivali East that will help to ease Western Express Highway traffic. Road from Thakur Village to Poisar 90 ft Road will give one more option to connect East West traffic and this will again help ease Western Express Highway traffic. Defence land DP Road will connect Thakur Complex with Kandivali East and will provide alternative road from Kandivali to Andheri parallel to Western Express Highway,” said Mr. Jhaveri.

The Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act specifies that every municipal corporation must prepare a development plan to be implemented over 20 years. The last time the development plan was prepared for Mumbai was in 2014-2034.

Mr. Jhaveri’s organisation has filed 20 RTIs in the past 6 years in different departments of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) but only two unclear responses were received. “The RTI responses do not explain the reasons why the DP projects are stuck for decades and not implemented. Some of the DP roads exist since the British period and some of them were taken under planning for the first time in 1967. Despite being present in the development plan, the connecting DP roads have been missing for over 50 years. Linking the DP roads can save fuel, reduce air pollution and also save us from environment damage.”

A drive from Kandivali to Lokhandwala easily takes upto 40 minutes depending upon the road traffic. But since October 2023, a narrow lane passing through a slum of 300 families was opened up to link the two locations that takes just 6-8 minutes walk. “This is one of the DP roads that has been in the existing plan for over five decades. The road from Lokhandwala that leads towards the lane in the slums was blocked by a wall of an industry. After we staged silent protest, the wall was razed down by BMC. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the spot two weeks ago and agreed that this DP road should be opened,” added Mr Jhaveri.

During the discussions with BMC staff, the research team from Mumbai March have addressed the missing link connectivity in the crucial points such as Kulupwadi Bottle Neck, Shri Krishna Nagar bridge connectivity, Davipada Magathane missing link, Magathane Siddharth Nagar missing link, and the connection between Thakur Village and Kandivali East Lokhandwala.

Today News 24 made multiple attempts to get I S Chahal, BMC Municipal Commissioner’s comments on the DP project and sanctioned budget but he did not respond.