BMC Extends Deadline for Coastal Road Open Spaces Expressions of Interest
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has extended the deadline for the submission of Expressions of Interest (EoI) from companies interested in developing and maintaining open spaces along the Coastal Road until March 7, 2025. The previous deadline, which was set for February 12, 2025, was not met by several interested parties, prompting the BMC to grant an extension. This decision has sparked mixed reactions, as it comes after multiple companies requested more time to review the project’s scope.
According to an official from the BMC’s Coastal Road department, several companies were unable to submit their bids on time, citing the need for more time to assess the project’s requirements and undertake necessary calculations. As a result, the BMC has granted an additional three weeks for interested parties to complete their evaluations and submit their proposals by the new deadline of March 7. Initially, the BMC had intended to develop the open spaces along the Coastal Road project itself. However, in a strategic move to reduce financial costs, the civic body decided to invite private firms to take on the responsibility of developing and maintaining 53 hectares of open space along the 7-kilometre Coastal Road promenade, which stretches from Priyadarshini Park to Worli. The selected companies will be granted naming rights for these spaces, subject to the approval of the state government, and may be allowed to introduce commercial activities to help recover the maintenance costs—again, pending approval from the Supreme Court.
This decision to involve private companies has drawn significant attention. While the BMC sees it as a cost-effective strategy, some citizens’ groups and activists have raised concerns. They argue that outsourcing the development of public spaces to private entities could lead to the privatisation of public areas, potentially restricting access for the general public. These concerns highlight the tension between the need for economic efficiency and the public’s desire to maintain accessible and open communal spaces. Amit Saini, the additional municipal commissioner of the BMC, explained that the deadline extension followed requests from around four to five firms that expressed interest in the project but required more time to assess the full scope of the work. He confirmed that the new submission deadline is set for March 7 to accommodate these requests.
The project itself is part of the larger Coastal Road development plan, which is aimed at improving infrastructure along Mumbai’s coastline while also providing much-needed open spaces for residents and visitors. Once completed, the 7-kilometre stretch will feature a promenade with recreational areas, greenery, and various public amenities, which will serve as a major urban landmark. However, the involvement of private companies in this phase has sparked a broader debate about the future of public spaces in Mumbai, raising questions about access, management, and control. As Mumbai continues to develop, the balancing act between urban expansion, public access, and financial sustainability remains a key challenge. The extension of the EoI deadline is a significant moment in this ongoing conversation, and all eyes will be on the proposals that come in by March 7 to see how private firms plan to contribute to shaping the city’s coastal spaces. Will this move lead to innovative, sustainable developments, or will it cause public concerns over the potential loss of accessible spaces? Only time will tell.
