Maharashtra clears Tourism Hub in Gorai - Uttan

Maharashtra has cleared the decks to promote the Manori-Gorai-Uttan belt as a tourism zone. After the idea was first mooted, MMRDA was appointed as a special planning authority (SPA) in 2004, replaced by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation in 2007 and redesignated as SPA in 2008. It will continue to sanction all building plans in the region.
What this means is the seafront of this sleepy, predominantly East Indian Christian, 18 km-long enclave will be made accessible to the public by a 5 km coastal road restricted to the beach area. It will give an impetus to tourism by allowing resorts and tourist activities in green zones as well.
“The road will be on the lines of Marine Drive—the sea, road and then habitation. This is to ensure that the public has an unrestricted access to the seafront,’’ said Uma Adusumalli, MMRDA officer in charge of the area’s development plan.
For this road, the government will acquire land from private land owners by offering transfer of development rights, which can be used only in the notified area. There is no mention of casinos or a special economic zone in the development plan, she said.
Notwithstanding protests from locals, the bridge connecting Madh-Marve to Manori will be constructed along with another bridge near the now closed Gorai dumping ground to the other side of Gorai.
“There is only one arterial road from Bhayander to Essel World, Manori, which allows road access to the area. In the event of a crisis, people will have to be taken north and then south to Mumbai, which would mean loss of valuable time. Hence, planners felt an entry-exit on the south side must be allowed,” said an official. With a large number of tourists expected to visit the region, planners said the livelihood of those who organize ferries will not be affected. The 20-metre arterial road will be widened to 30 metres and will connect to the Manori bridge as also the coastal road.
The area has more than 60 water bodies. Seven large water bodies have been identified for recreation purpose. An area of five metres around the water bodies will be developed as gardens and no construction will be allowed in this range.
Under the new DP, a minimum floor space index (FSI) of 0.1 to a maximum FSI of 1 will be permitted in the region. An FSI of 1 will be allowed in the gaothans and in the expansion areas. Resorts will be allowed an FSI of 0.3. In the new development areas, along with an FSI of 0.3, an additional 0.2 will be allowed. This is largely for the benefit of locals, said Adusumalli.
In the green zone, the FSI will be 0.1 and an additional FSI will be allowed by way of TDR or by paying a premium. Only ground plus one structures will be allowed in the area where the FSI is low. For gaothans, it will be two-storey structures.
Earlier the MMRDA had divided the area into tourism development zone I and II. These have been merged into a single tourism development zone. The preservation zone that included peaks and hill slopes has been merged into the green zone. Here, the MMRDA will allow paragliding, camps, treks, shacks and so on. Residential and commercial activities, too, will be allowed.
Around 65% of the area is under CRZ I and III. All CRZ I areas, including mangroves, are to be preserved as per CRZ 2011 notification. The No Development Zones will be maintained as such and activities permitted by the Union government such as construction of a jetty or laying of pipelines. Only fishing and allied activities will be allowed along the coast. Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, vice-president of Bombay East-Indian Association, said on the face of it, the DP would encourage tourism and livelihoods.
Adusumalli said the DP would be applicable only for 10 years. “The infrastructure of the region will be developed jointly by the BMC, the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation and MMRDA.’’ Gorai and Manori are under the BMC while the other villages are under MBMC.
The reason for not allowing the plan for 20 years is that the region is currently low development.