Docks in the Manger

Mumbai City, second only to Mexico City in population density, has an average of 27,000 people per sq km - that is, the astronomical figure is surpassed in many places.  Land hungry Mumbai desperately needs the 1,800 acres of land owned by the MPT, the city's largest landlord. This is more than four times the area of the city's mill lands. It could be used for parks, gardens, walkways, health, education and other public amenities.  At the moment, this treasure of terrain is 28 km of grey stone wall.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, across the harbor, was developed for India's growing container traffic.  It was approved by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on condition that port use of Mumbai would be progressively scaled down and the land would return for the Mumbaikar to use. This has not happened.

The MPT has refused, holding that the land must be developed to increase container capacity.  But deepening the harbour, providing channels for deep draught traffic and keeping them navigable make the scheme impossible in everybody's view but the MPT Board's.  Even if these impossibilities were got around, how would the goods be transported out of the city to their destinations?  Road / bridge capacity cannot be built in Mumbai as it stands.

The proposal put to the MPT by the Urban Development Research Institute and others contains many feasible and beneficial schemes.  Ownership of the land would still vest in the MPT but other lessees (organs of the government, not private) would provide a revenue source and prevent the encroachment and illegalities that these huge tracts of land are suffering.  Also heritage precincts like the Victoria / Alexandra Docks and Sewri Fort would be preserved.

Once the essentiality of these lands for Mumbai's needs is accepted, the government (State or Central), could use Eminent Domain enactments to take over the land for city and citizen friendly uses.

As a first step, Port Trust lands must be opened up for public use as soon as possible.  No private ownership for any purpose shall be permitted.  The State's intention to return this space to its rightful owners, the city, should be made public on the floor of the Lok Sabha.