Improving Land Use in India's Burgeoning Cities
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THE FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE IMAGINE MUMBAI: IMPROVING LAND USE IN INDIA’S BURGEONING CITIES In the first of a series covering our Imagine 2060 partnership with Asia Society, now in its third year and focusing on ‘Earth’, AECOM’s India Chief Executive Avinash Misra discusses how Mumbai is tackling the urgent issue of land utilisation in the face of rapid urbanisation. and in Mumbai has always city moving and thriving despite the year timescale) less viable for those been a precious commodity. massive influx of citizens. cities that need to find urgent solutions A rapidly growing population, to these complex, interconnected combined with years of coastal 42M issues as well as secure the political What can be done today? land reclamation and major When our participants came together Mumbai's projected will and funding to fix them. building works, have put a in Mumbai, as part of the launch of population in 2060 When it comes to improving Lgreat deal of pressure on what is now our Imagine 2060 1 series on ‘Earth’, Mumbai’s land use today, enhanced the most populous city in India. By it became clear that — compared to connectivity tops the list. Increased 2060, Mumbai’s population is projected places like Singapore — developing congestion2 can be a sign of economic to more than double, reaching 42 countries, such as India, often face prosperity when tied to a population million people — equivalent to the additional challenges in their long- surge, but the problem must be population of Canada living in one city. term planning process, due to the more alleviated quickly before the time lost Similar to many dense, developing immediate pressures that they face in in traffic translates to productivity cities throughout India, Mumbai is housing, clean water supply, air quality loss, wasted fuel, environmental looking for sustainable ways to utilise and congestion. It makes long-range degradation and a decrease in GDP. its finite land resources and keep the planning (for example, with a forty- THE FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE THE BUILDING OF NEW BRIDGES, TUNNELS, ROADS, AND METROS CAN HELP CHANGE A CITY’S DENSITY DISTRIBUTION, IMPROVING THE WAY IT RUNS. — Mumbai Sealink The building of new bridges, network. Once complete, MML3 will and environmental degradation. It is tunnels, roads, and metros can increase the line’s existing capacity by essential that all parties collaborate help change a city’s density about five times, carrying 1.6 million with the goal of improving transit distribution, improving the way it 21 passengers per day, and Mumbai will accessibility rather than just easing the runs. The capacity to move crucial mile Mubai Metro be the world’s most crowded city to use of private vehicles. infrastructure like this underground, Line 3 is part of have built an underground metro. as well as out to sea where possible, a 172-mile Crews are working 24 hours a day to metro network Building capacity can also free up surface land for other speed the delivery of this project, aiming Recognising that there will still be cars uses and helps cities make the most of for a planned completion by 2021. on the road for the foreseeable future, their connectivity. the next component is to increase road But easing congestion in a city space and bridges either by building Unlocking land value requires the government and private The addition of transit-oriented new roads or expanding the capacity of sector to work together. It also calls developments (TOD) along metro existing ones. for an integrated, holistic approach corridors could further decrease the The Mumbai Coastal Road is an to development. Simply put, there’s number of cars on the road by enabling eight-lane, 18-mile (29 kilometres) no one-size-fits-all solution to people to live next to or directly atop long freeway that will run along the cities’ congestion issues. Instead metro stations, thus reducing their city’s western coastline, connecting a combination of travel solutions3 commute time as well as the need for Marine Lines in the south to Kandivali works best to reduce citizens’ reliance extensive last-mile services. TODs in the north. The project is expected on private vehicles and improve push the boundaries of traditional to host nearly 130,000 cars per day5, connectivity across the board. Here, mixed-use developments to create provide relief to lakhs of commuters drawing on AECOM’s experience vertical cities that seamlessly utilise who currently take up to three hours to working on major infrastructure above- and below-ground space. travel the distance in peak-hour traffic, projects in Mumbai and across the Innovative construction methods can and create large patches of open green world, we discuss some of the reasons also enhance transportation speed, space, a rarity in Mumbai. why transportation development is consistency and sustainability. The longest sea bridge in India is crucial to achieving this. Integrating TOD into a city’s also currently underway. The Sewri- overall design requires a clear vision Nhava Sheva, Mumbai Trans Harbour and alignment across both public Link (MTHL) is a 13.6-mile long A city on the move AECOM is partnering with the and private sectors. Without these, (22-kilometres) six-lane viaduct and Government of Maharashtra to developments run the risk of becoming freeway grade road bridge connecting alleviate Mumbai’s over-crowded simply transit-adjacent, instead Mumbai and Navi-Mumbai across the and often insufficient transportation of transit-oriented. Coordinating Mumbai Harbour. MTHL is seen as systems. Identified as “one of the efforts through each phase of the an important project to decongest the world’s most audacious transit process serves to avoid competing city, especially south Mumbai. projects”4, the 21-mile (33.5-kilometre) developments from the mass transit Mumbai Metro Line 3 (MML3), is part network that could undermine TOD of a 172-mile (277-kilometre) metro and further exacerbate congestion THE FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE While 2060 may be too far ahead WHILE 2060 MAY BE TOO FAR Toward 2060 An integrated approach to land for some to plan, there are many steps AHEAD FOR SOME TO PLAN, planning in Mumbai may serve as an that can be taken in the interim to THERE ARE MANY STEPS example for other rapidly growing progressively improve a city’s land cities throughout India and around the utilisation, ensuring that people THAT CAN BE TAKEN IN THE world. Integrated connectivity through on its streets, trains and sidewalks INTERIM TO PROGRESSIVELY infrastructure allows people to live, are moving smoothly. With holistic work and play in different realms of transportation planning, including IMPROVE A CITY’S LAND a city. Places that were previously metro, transit-oriented development , inaccessible can suddenly be reached and strategic road improvements, UTILISATION ENSURING THAT within an hour and adding mixed-use Mumbai can ensure that it makes PEOPLE ON ITS STREETS, developments around transit hubs can the best use of its land today TRAINS AND SIDEWALKS ARE make a city run even more efficiently. and tomorrow. MOVING SMOOTHLY. — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai THE FUTURE OF Investment in infrastructure has the power to alleviate today’s INFRASTRUCTURE economic distress and create opportunities for tomorrow. CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE infrastructure.aecom.com.