Special mention of culture in BMC’s draft DP

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made special provisions in its Revised Draft Development Plan 2034 to patronise the arts and culture of Mumbai, through a special chapter titled ‘Art, Culture, Recreation and Leisure’. This chapter facilitates hosting of cultural events in major open spaces, educational institutes, and existing old theatres. These areas have been identified as recreational space which will host cultural entertainment events, such as plays, music performances, display of vernacular and contemporary art such as paintings and photographs, among others.

It plans to conduct temporary displays for such events on streets and at junctions near educational institutes or offices, where the footfall of people is very high, and such displays will get noticed easily, without causing any hindrance to the traffic in the area. On the lines of the events such as Kala Ghoda Art Festival, the open art gallery functional near the Jehangir Art Gallery, or the impromptu music performances that are conducted at the Tulsidas Kalachand Udyan near Girgaon Chowpatty, it will identify other such streets in various parts of the city.

Apart from that, places such as concert halls and playgrounds of schools and colleges, will be used to set up exhibitions, workshops, and food festivals after the school timings.

This is a first of its kind venture, where the DP is identifying these provisions separately and devoting one entire chapter.