BMC plans Rs 702-crore underground walkway beneath Mahalaxmi Racecourse

Mumbai is set to welcome a major underground pedestrian link, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) unveils plans for a 3-kilometer, Rs 702.44-crore walkway. The ambitious project, proposed as a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) pilot, aims to connect the Nehru Science Centre Metro station with the Coastal Road promenade at Haji Ali, with a portion of the walkway passing beneath the Mahalaxmi Racecourse.

The proposal, submitted to the BMC Standing Committee for approval, also includes underground parking and recreational spaces.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) is set to execute the project, with the BMC seeking a relaxation of tendering rules for the undertaking. The pedestrian link will commence underground at the Nehru Science Centre Metro station, extending westwards towards the Coastal Road promenade. A section will traverse beneath the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, offering access to a planned public space on the Racecourse land.

The BMC has already seized 120 acres of the Racecourse's 211 acres for public use and envisions transforming the land into a Central Park featuring a botanical garden, topiary garden, and city forest.

In addition to the underground walkway, the BMC plans to develop an indoor sports arena and convention hall beneath the Racecourse. The proposed underpass will encircle the racecourse peripherally, with plans to construct another underpass leading to the Acharya Atre Chowk Metro station in the future. The decision to initiate the project was made during a July 28 meeting attended by officials from the BMC, MMRCL, and the state Urban Development Department.

The Rs 702.44 crore funding for the project will be released in installments contingent upon project progress. Twenty-five percent of the funds will be released upon signing a memorandum of understanding between the BMC and MMRCL, with subsequent payments linked to securing permissions and reaching specific construction milestones.

However, the Congress has raised concerns over the BMC's commitment of funds to this project, pointing out the corporation's existing debt of Rs 8,000 crore to various contractors and the impending Rs 28,000 crore annual payments to contractors for ongoing infrastructure works.