EMBARQ India was invited to participate in a workshop to provide strategic advice to four proposals by the Mumbai Transformation Support Unit (MTSU), a state government think tank formed to deliberate on various urban issues and development projects for the city of Mumbai.

All four proposals have a strong focus on the creation of public pedestrian plazas. The project would affect an estimated 1 million people who work, study, visit or live in the area.

At the workshop, experts agreed that a study of traffic counts and vehicular flows should be considered before a decision can be taken on pedestrianizing the area. The local municipal corporation agreed to fund the traffic count study at important intersections. In addition, a parking inventory of the area will be documented.

Director of Institutional Relations Rishi Aggarwal and Urban Planner & Economist Binoy Mascarenhas from EMBARQ India, along with other participants from the fields of architecture, urban design and transport planning, attended the workshop.

Over the last year, the local development authorities have received four proposals for urban renewal projects for south Mumbai’s Fort area, a busy commercial district that connects the two terminus stations of Mumbai’s suburban railway lines. The area is close to several colleges, the university, the high court, a museum, art galleries, hotels, restaurants, and the historic Gateway of India, which makes the place crowded with students, tourists and business people.

This was part of an ongoing initiative to review the recommendations of the various proposals and come up with a comprehensive plan that involves pedestrianizing lanes to ease the commute between stations, the central business district and other areas; reviving existing plaza spaces and creating new spaces to cater to the masses; formalizing hawking zones along pedestrian lines and standardizing stall designs; resolving parking issues; and enhancing the scope of tourism. EMBARQ India was invited to contribute towards the transport component of the proposals.

EMBARQ India continues to be engaged with key city officials and partners, giving strategic insights based on sustainable transport principles, and strengthening its position as a technical expert and thought leader in urban development and accessibility.