Mumbai: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has shortlisted six international architecture firms for landscaping the Mumbai Coastal Road, a project that will transform 53 hectares (130 acres) of reclaimed land into open public spaces.
Nearly a year after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) flagship Mumbai Coastal Road project was opened to traffic, RIL was selected to design and develop the surrounding green spaces stretching from Priyadarshini Park to Worli. For this, RIL has shortlisted six global firms from the Netherlands, other countries in Europe, North Korea, South Korea, and the United States. Among them, Cozy Designs from the Netherlands was introduced to civic officials along with other firms last week.
Based on their conceptual designs, one of these six firms will be finalised to take up the project. The designs will then be submitted to a BMC landscaping committee formed for the project before Diwali, and the work will commence once the design is approved by the committee.
A senior civic official from the BMC's Coastal Road department told HT, "It (the project) is at the agreement stage and they are in the process of shortlisting international architects. Fifteen architects were first called and six were shortlisted based on experience and manpower. They have been asked to submit a conceptual design. Based on the conceptual design, one firm will be selected."
To ensure the project's smooth execution, the BMC has constituted an internal landscaping committee under the chairmanship of the deputy municipal commissioner (gardens). The committee includes the chief engineer (Coastal Road), chief municipal architect, assistant commissioners of G South and D Wards in Worli and Malabar Hill, and executive engineers (coastal road 01 and 03). The final conceptual plan prepared by RIL will be reviewed and approved by this committee. The landscaping committee will also streamline the construction process for RIL by ensuring that the company gets all the necessary permissions from the BMC.
The initiative aims to turn the 53-hectare stretch along the Coastal Road into a vibrant, eco-friendly urban landscape. The project, undertaken by Reliance under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, envisions a seamless blend of infrastructure and ecology. The proposed design includes walking and cycling tracks, gardens, plazas, and smart lighting, all crafted to promote sustainability and community well-being. RIL will also maintain these spaces for 30 years.
The project, titled 'Coastal Road Gardens', was announced during RIL's 48th annual general meeting in August. The BMC initially planned to develop the open spaces on its own, but, with estimated costs touching ₹400 crore, the civic body chose to invite Expressions of Interest (EoI) urging companies to take up the project as a CSR initiative. RIL emerged as the only company meeting all the EoI criteria of the BMC.
Operational since August, the Mumbai Coastal Road has already reduced travel time and fuel consumption of fourwheelers and buses travelling along the route. With RIL's landscaping initiative, the project is poised to become not just a transport corridor but a thriving green waterfront for the city.