Maharashtra CM: Mumbai will become Wi-Fi city by may 2017

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced in the Assembly that a Wi-Fi facility would be made available across the city under its ambitious Smart City project by May 1, 2017.

Replying to a volley of questions on the city’s development on the last day of the Monsoon Session of the legislature, the CM said, “Under the Smart City initiative, Mumbai will be made a Wi-Fi city as information technology is the backbone of its infrastructure. We have chosen 1,200 hotspots in tourist hubs such as Gateway of India and Chowpatty to install the Wi-Fi. By November 1, 500 hotspots will have Wi-Fi and the remaining would be installed by May 1, 2017,” he said.

Mr Fadnavis added that the Wi-Fi project would help provide information such as available parking spaces, bus schedules, among others, to its users.

In order to implement planned development in the suburbs, Mr Fadnavis said cluster approach would be adopted. “The cluster development will be implemented in the suburbs. This approach will give more open spaces, green spaces,” he said.

Mr Fadnavis assured the Assembly that an impact assessment report would be prepared in one and half months and high court's permission would be sought for the policy.

Mr Fadnavis further said the government had the potential to build 10 lakh houses. The city has only 37 per cent of area available for development, he added, in which the residential, industrial and commercial needs would have to be accommodated.

The chief minister also clarified that non-development zone (NDZ) did not mean that it was a “never” development zones. “The city has 13,706 NDZs of which 10,351 are natural areas such as mangroves, eco-sensitive zones, hill slopes and water bodies. Of these, 658 NDZz house slums. Only 2,696 NDZs are remaining and of these, we propose to use 2,100 for affordable housing,” Mr Fadnavis said. “If the government resources are unlocked for common people then 10 lakh affordable housing is possible,” he added.