Overview
- One hundred and two members of the Mumbai Architects Collective have asked the chief minister and BMC to freeze underground construction, disclose lease and FSI terms, and adopt a policy barring parking beneath public grounds.
- The proposal envisions a roughly 295–300 acre green space by linking 125 acres of the racecourse with about 170 acres of Coastal Road land, including a 10 lakh sq ft underground sports complex, a 1.2 km tunnel to Metro Line 3 and Coastal Road, and parking for thousands of vehicles.
- The architects warn that basements and tunnels would disrupt natural drainage, reduce groundwater recharge, and heighten flood risk in low‑lying South Mumbai.
- BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani describes the scheme as at a concept stage, confirms that MMRCL has been tasked via tender to study a pedestrian subway, and says no tenders or cost estimates exist yet for the sports complex or parking.
- The architects also question financing priorities, citing reports of roughly ₹600 crore for underground works while Coastal Road open spaces rely on CSR maintenance, and residents are set to hear the BMC’s presentation on Coastal Road landscaping and the racecourse plan on February 22.