In a first of its kind provisions in the draft Development Plan (DP), the BMC has allowed the major roads of South Mumbai and some in the eastern and western suburbs to be used for conducting art and
In a first of its kind provisions in the draft Development Plan (DP), the BMC has allowed the major roads of South Mumbai and some in the eastern and western suburbs to be used for conducting art and culture programmes along the lines of the Kala Ghoda Film Festival. The civic body has primarily identified five wards for this purpose including the A, B, and C wards of south Mumbai and R (central) ward and M (west) in the suburbs. A few select roads in these areas will be occasionally opened up for public activity other than vehicular traffic. Even though the BMC has not identified the roads or the type of activities which can be organised on them, sources from the DP department confirmed that the BMC intends to periodically organise cultural festivals along the lines of the Kala Goda Art festival.
This special provision made to promote arts and culture, has gone down very well with transport experts and activists of the city. Transport expert Ashok Datar said, “We need to be open to ideas that use roads for purposes other than vehicular traffic, which is the traditional point of view.”
Activists have also suggested that the BMC should allocate open spaces for similar programs too. Nayana Kathpalia, Trustee of NGO Nagar said, “If this promotes art in the city, it is a brilliant idea, as long as the civic body has a plan chalked out.”
